Patient/Doctor relationship One Year??

I read some of the drafts on the AZ DHS and it looks like there is a requirement that the Doctor who writes the recommendation for a patient's MMJ card needs to have a relationship with the patient at least a year long, assessing the patient's condition prior to writing a recommendation.

This seems like it will penalize the patient, who need help for their illness, and will delay applying for MMJ cards until a year from now. Have I mis-interpreted something in this draft?


While my GP supports my interest in getting a MMJ card and feel it will help, I don't believe he will be writing any recommendations for anyone, as he's with a large corporate Health Insurance company. I'm also looking for a local Doctor in the Scottsdale Cave-Creek area, that can do an exam and whatever else is required by law. If anyone can recommend someone I'd appreciated it.

Thanks!

found this on the AZDHS site

Just to address the 1 year physician-patient relationship: If you read R9-17-101 16. b. the one year does not apply if the physician â??assumes primary responsibility for providing management and routine care of the patientâ??s debilitating medical conditionâ?¦.â?� This means if you see a new physician and he/she will be seeing you in the future on a routine basis to â??overseeâ?� your debilitating medical condition, he/she can give you the recommendation. This simply prevents one from seeing a â??pot-friendly docâ?� who will give him/her a recommendation and not see him/her for another year when he/she needs a recommendation renewed.

Will Humble
says:
December 17, 2010 at 4:42 pmTo all who are concerned with the one year physician provision, the draft rule language also provides a second alternative to the 1 year relationship if:

â??The physician assumes primary responsibility for providing management and routine care of the patientâ??s debilitating medical condition after conducting a comprehensive medical history and physical examination, including a personal review of the patientâ??s medical record maintained by other treating physicians that may include the patientâ??s reaction and response to conventional medical therapies

Thanks Nazman... appreciate the clarification, makes sense.

I read an online news article about not wasting time or money on a MMJ card until the applications are available from the AZ DHS.

While I'd like to get the MMJ app taken care of right away, I'm wondering if it is best to wait until mid April, 2011. Any thoughts on this?

Thanks!
R

You'll likely have no choice but to wait until mid April. As the Governor signed the documentation late, AZ DHS believes it has until April 13th to final the rules, which include the application process.

Waitin sucks eh ?

April is when finalized rules and guidelines will be complete. Anytime after they are released, you may apply.

I went to AZMMCC.com...saw a great doc..Why Wait

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SPOOKIE123

I went to AZMMCC.com...saw a great doc..Why Wait

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It would be great if they answered their phone at the Scottsdale/Shea location!

I went to the AZMMC Center over on Shea & Scottsdale, they were very helpful, answered many of my questions.

Just look in the back of NEW TIMES people, it's full of doctors who are advertising... Shit!! Even craigslist has postings for doctors... You people let politics scare you away from everything. It is so unbelievable how many people think they cant get their cards for simple pain conditions like a bad lower back or constant vomiting. This is not about people with HIV or cancer. Marijuana is a natural pain reliever, this is why big pharma does not like how easily available it is, they want you on morphine and other hill billy heroin pills instead. Don't you guys remember when the feds were trying to bust the casinos here in the 90's.. But yet, low and behold, a casino is still sitting on every single reservation in AZ..