• ​​What this means for you:

  • How often you need to be seen depends on how you are doing on your medication. If you are new to treatment, changing doses, or need closer monitoring, you will likely be seen every 30 days. Once you are stable on your medication, your provider may space out your visits, up to every 90 days. Your provider will tell you your personal follow-up schedule at your visit, and this may change over time based on how you are doing.​

    • New patients, patients being titrated or having medication changes, and patients with identified risk factors are typically seen more frequently, generally every 30 days, until stable.​

    • Established, stable patients may be seen less frequently, up to every 90 days, at the provider’s discretion.

    • This applies to both children and adults; children are followed at the same 30–90 day cadence based on stability and titration needs.

    • If a patient is due for a required 30-day visit and is unable to be seen exactly on schedule, a grace period of 7–10 days is available to schedule the follow-up so that medication is not interrupted. This is intended to prevent patients from running out of medication, not to replace the required visit.

    • Refill requests must be submitted at least 72 business hours before medication runs out. Refills are processed Monday–Friday during business hours; providers have 24–72 hours to process requests. Repeated messages do not expedite processing.

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4. Benzodiazepine Medications

• ​Benzodiazepines are prescribed only for short-term use. Patients prescribed a benzodiazepine must be seen in person every 3 months for a face-to-face visit, as required under DEA regulations. This clinic does not provide long-term benzodiazepine prescribing; patients seeking ongoing long-term use should discuss alternative care options with their provider. When benzodiazepine therapy is discontinued, this is done through a gradual taper under provider guidance, not abrupt discontinuation.​

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5. Urine Drug Screening

• All patients prescribed a controlled substance are required to complete a urine drug screen at least once per year. Additional or random screening may occur at any time based on clinical judgment, consistent with the Controlled Substances Agreement each patient signs. Refusal or tampering with a screen will result in immediate discontinuation of the controlled substance and may result in discharge from the clinic.

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6. Prescription Monitoring

• All patients prescribed a controlled substance are checked against the state PMP (AWARxE) before prescribing and at ongoing intervals as clinically indicated.

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7. Refills

• Refills are provided only at scheduled follow-up visits, or within the grace period described above. Lost, stolen, or “ran out early” medications will not be replaced. Repeated early refill requests, reports of lost or stolen medication, or other signs of misuse may result in discontinuation of the controlled substance and/or discharge from the clinic.

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8. Appointment Compliance

• Patients are expected to keep scheduled appointments. Missed or repeatedly rescheduled appointments may affect eligibility for the grace period described above and may result in reassessment of the treatment plan.

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9. Discontinuation

• ​Controlled substances may be tapered and discontinued at any time if the provider identifies safety concerns, signs of misuse or diversion, or non-adherence to this policy, the Controlled Substances Agreement, or the treatment plan. Discontinuation of benzodiazepines is always managed through a gradual taper unless immediate safety concerns require otherwise.

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10. Reference Sources

• U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration — deadiversion.usdoj.gov

• Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services — cms.gov

• Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics & Dangerous Drugs -  obndd.ok.gov

• Oklahoma Board of Nursing — okbon.ok.gov

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