Effective October 5, 2017, the Department of Health adopted an emergency regulation to allow certain types of facilities to become designated caregivers for patients who are certified to receive medical marijuana under New York State’s Medical Marijuana Program.
A recent report, published in the Journal of Toxicology, found that people in the United States are making errors in dosing medications at home. Healthcare providers should be cognizant of the need for patient and caregiver education in the proper administration of both prescribed and over-the-counter medications.
NYS Department of Health (DOH) regulations allow patients to self-administer medical marijuana in the facility during their hospital stay. Facilities that allow patients to self-administer any medications should ensure that all aspects of the regulation are included in their policies and procedures.
Physicians and hospitals may be liable to the general public if a patient is not warned of medications that can impair the patient’s driving ability. A third party who is injured in an accident may now sue the physician or hospital directly if there has been a failure to warn the patient of the side effects.