January 2022 Newsletter for
Ohio's CTR Physicians

This newsletter is distributed to physicians with an active Certificate to Recommend Medical Marijuana (CTR) and provides important updates for the Ohio Medical Marijuana Control Program (OMMCP). 

The State Medical Board of Ohio has approved 9 new certificate to recommend medical marijuana (CTR) applications since the December board meeting. As of January 12, 2022, the total number of active certified physicians is 636.

Medical Board Reviews Petitions

The State Medical Board of Ohio received 9 petitions during the 2021 petition window. All petitions are expected to be presented to the Medical Board's Medical Marijuana Committee during their February 9 meeting. At that time the committee will determine which petitions meet the requirements outlined in program regulation. These selected petitions will be open to a public comment period, then reviewed by experts and considered for possible addition to the OMMCP. A final board decision on additional conditions is expected this summer.
Telemedicine Update

The passage of Telehealth Services legislation (Sub. HB 122) allows the use of telehealth for medical marijuana recommendations and renewals, effective March 22, 2022. 

 

The bill also provides the Medical Board with rulemaking authority to implement the requirements of the bill. The Medical Board will update its website (https://med.ohio.gov/Laws-Rules/Newly-Adopted-and-Proposed-Rules) regarding any new telehealth rules. 
New CTR Search Map 
The Medical Board has updated its CTR search map feature to improve the user experience and update the map with submitted addresses more expeditiously. Patients will now be able to filter physician results by state, region, county, and city or download a roster directly from the website. 
 
As a reminder, the CTR search map is the primary resource for locating  physicians with a CTR because each physician on the map has provided their preferred practice address to the Medical Board. If you would like to add a practice address to the search map, complete this physician survey.
 
The updated CTR search map is available at med.ohio.gov. 

Program Update (As of December 31, 2021)

  • 406,511 Recommendations
  • 237,613 Registered patients
    • 15,759 Patients with Veteran Status
    • 17,321 Patients with Indigent Status
    • 984 Patients with a Terminal Diagnosis
  • 215,410 Unique patients who purchased medical marijuana (as reported to OARRS by licensed dispensaries)
  • 26,915 Registered Caregivers

Operational Dispensaries

Ohio has 60 operational dispensaries where a patient with a recommendation may purchase their medical marijuana product. 

Click the map to view the dispensary locations or to download a complete list of Ohio-licensed dispensaries.

 

State of Ohio Board of Pharmacy Updates

Adding Patient Recommendations to Existing Caregivers

If an existing caregiver obtains a medical marijuana recommendation for themself, the recommending physician should NOT create a new profile for the individual. Rather, the physician should add the recommendation to the existing caregiver account.

 

Under the “Details” tab of the caregiver’s account, the physician will click the button labelled “MAKE RECOMMENDATION TO CAREGIVER.” Once the physician makes the recommendation by filling out the required fields, the registrant will be registered as both a caregiver and a patient. A Quick Reference Guide: Registering as Both a Patient & Caregiver can be found here.

 

Because the patient/caregiver already has an account, they will not receive a new activation link. Instead, the patient/caregiver must log into their Registry account at ohiomedicalmarijuanaregistry.com and click “UPGRADE CARD” below the image of their card. Then proceed to pay the patient fee. The current expiration date on the patient/caregiver’s registration will NOT change once the recommendation is added.

 

NOTE: If the patient/caregiver is within the 90-day renewal period prior the expiration of their caregiver registration, they will instead click “RENEW CARD” and will need to both renew their existing caregiver registration and pay the patient registration fee. If the individual no longer wishes to be a caregiver, the physician should “unlink” them from their assigned patient and the individual should email mmcpregistry@pharmacy.ohio.gov to have their caregiver status removed from their account.

 

New Registry Support System

A new Registry support system has been implemented (powered by Bamboo Health) and includes frequently asked questions and tutorials related to the Ohio Medical Marijuana Registry, including navigating the Registry and Registrant log-in assistance. The system also provides comprehensive technical support to all users of the Registry. Users experiencing errors or other technical issues accessing the Medical Marijuana Registry can also submit a technical assistance ticket to Bamboo Health at https://medicalmarijuanaregistry.zendesk.com/.  
Available Products Update

To help inform physicians choosing to include instructions for use, the types of products currently available through the Medical Marijuana Control Program are listed below. 

Duty to Report

As a licensee of the State Medical Board of Ohio, you have a statutory and ethical duty to report misconduct. You are obligated to report violations of law, rule and code of ethics standards to the Medical Board. Examples of misconduct include, but are not limited to, sexual misconduct, impairment, practice below the minimal standards of care, and improper prescribing of controlled substances. If you suspect or have observed inappropriate behavior by a health care professional or colleague, you should file a complaint with the State Medical Board. If you believe a crime has been committed, you should also contact your local law enforcement.  Knowing a colleague is violating regulations and not reporting to the Medical Board not only puts patients at risk but also puts your license to practice in jeopardy.

 

If the board discovers you failed to report a colleague’s misconduct, you may be disciplined by the board, up to and including permanent license revocation, and you may be ordered to pay fines up to $20,000.

 

Effective May 31, 2021, MDs, DOs and DPMs are required to complete one hour of Continuing Medical Education (CME) prior to renewal on the topic of a licensee’s duty to report misconduct. The enforcement of this requirement will commence with renewal applications submitted on or after July 1, 2021. The board has created a one-hour course designed to educate physicians (MDs, DOs, DPMs) on the duty to report to the State Medical Board of Ohio. 

 

To file a complaint you can visit med.ohio.gov or call the board’s confidential complaint hotline at 1-833-333-SMBO (7626). Remember, provisions in the Ohio Revised Code make all complaints received by the board confidential.

 

You can read more about your duty to report and the CME requirement on our website.
COVID-19 Response
The resources listed below are available to you as guidance during this COVID-19 pandemic. 

License Number

Please be aware, now that you have been granted a certificate to recommend, your official license number includes the suffix CTR. Example: 35.12345CTR. 

Standard of Care

All physicians with an active CTR must follow the full list of requirements in Rule 4731-32-03 Standard of Care in the Ohio Administrative Code. 

Resources

  • For questions about your CTR, email MedicalMarijuana@med.ohio.gov.
  • For questions about technical difficulties accessing the Registry, call the Appriss Help Desk at 1-833-276-0100.
  • Additional resources can be found on the medical marijuana website. Click here to view.

OMMCP Helpline
1-833-4OH-MMCP (1-833-464-6627)
The Ohio Medical Marijuana Control Program Toll-Free Helpline responds to inquiries from patients, caregivers, and health professionals regarding adverse reactions to medical marijuana, and provides information about available services and additional assistance as needed. The helpline staff does not have access to the Patient & Caregiver Registry so any registry related questions should be directed to MMCPRegistry@pharmacy.ohio.gov. 

Check with your personal attorney for additional rule interpretation and how to apply the statute and rules to your specific practice situation.
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