MDToolbox Blog: Wyoming Mandates Electronic Prescribing

----- Blog Index / Wyoming-Mandates-Electronic-Prescribing [MDToolbox Staff] [2019-03-06]

Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon recently signed Enrolled Act No 66/SF0047 into law. This Act mandates Wyoming providers to electronically prescribe all controlled substances with an effective date of January 1^st, 2021.  The Act has provisions for the state board to provide some exemptions to the requirement for emergencies and has the power to grant an extension to a dispenser or practitioner; however, being granted an extension is not guaranteed.

Other subsections of this Act include:

• Prior to writing a prescription for a controlled substance, providers are required to search the state PMP database, as well as every 3 months thereafter for as long as the patient remains on a controlled substance.
• Pharmacies must submit their dispense data on controlled substances to the state daily.
• All prescribing providers are required to take 3 hours of continuing education every two years related to the responsible prescribing of controlled substances when they renew their license.
• All Schedule II prescriptions require either written or electronic prescription until the 1/1/21 mandate, oral orders will not be accepted.
• All Schedule III and IV prescriptions shall not be refilled more than six months after the prescribed date, and not refilled more than five times unless renewed. 

In recent years, Wyoming has fallen below the national average for opioid-related overdose deaths.  However, prior to 2015 Wyoming was above the national average for 5 consecutive years[1].  The state trends continue to rise along with the national average of opiate-related deaths.  Wyoming currently has only 17.5% provider enablement for electronic prescribing of controlled substances[2], well below the national average.  There will likely be a big push leading up to 2021 to secure electronic prescribing, MDToolbox encourages providers not to wait!

Wyoming now aligns with several other states mandating electronic prescribing. MDToolbox looks forward to working with providers throughout Wyoming to ease the transition and help provide tools and resources in combating the opioid epidemic. With MDToolbox providers have access to tools such as Electronic Prescribing of Controlled Substances (EPCS) and convenient on the go mobile e-prescribing.  Contact us for more information or to start your free 30 day free trial.

[1]https://www.drugabuse.gov/drugs-abuse/opioids/opioid-summaries-by-state/wyoming-opioid-summary

[2]https://surescripts.com/enhance-prescribing/e-prescribing/e-prescribing-for-controlled-substances/