Brighton Center for Recovery is an abstinence based chemical dependency treatment facility, which does not allow patients to use marijuana for any purpose while in treatment at any level of care. If a patient’s Medical Marijuana Program Card (MMPC) was issued for the treatment of chronic non malignant pain the patient will have a pain management consult completed. Depending on the patients clinical condition the consultation will be completed prior to or during their hospitalization or arrangements will be made for the consultation to be completed as soon as possible following discharge. During hospitalization at Brighton patients will receive other pain management modalities including non-addictive medications. Patients who had their MMPC issued for treatment of other diagnoses will receive alternative treatment for their symptoms including non-addictive medications. 

PROCEDURE:

At the time of requesting admission to Brighton for treatment the individual will be asked by the CSRs if they possess a MMPC. If they do they will be told to bring their card with them to admission. They will be informed by the CSRs that the admissions staff will ask them to destroy the card and explain the reason to them for this request. Persons with MMPCs will be informed they may not bring marijuana on the premises and if found will be destroyed. The CSR will document in the initial contact screening that the patient possesses a MMPC and has been asked to bring the card when they come for admission. If a patient who has been identified as having an MMPC and was instructed to bring the card with them for admission fails to bring their intact card their admission will be rescheduled for a time when they can bring their card.

The Clinical RN will request the card upon arrival to the clinic and will monitor the destruction of the card, pieces to be discarded in the “Shred-it-box.”  LPN will document destruction of the card. IF the person refuses to destroy the card the LPN will notify the physician in the clinic who will intervene.

The Clinic Physician will then discuss with the person why the destruction of the card is necessary. If the person continues to refuse to destroy their card admission will be denied. The physician or their designee will provide alternative recommendations for care based upon their clinical needs. If the card was issued as treatment for chronic non-malignant pain the physician will make certain the chart is flagged for a pain management consult during treatment or soon after discharge. They will assure the individual their pain will be treated during their stay but with non-addicting medications and other treatment modalities.

Clinic Assessment staff will request a medical release of information to be signed to the individual’s treating physician so the physician may be included and/or informed about any decisions made during treatment at Brighton regarding the treatment of the patient’s chronic non-malignant pain.

Unit Nursing Staff will note the need for pain management consult if indicated.

Treatment Staff will confiscate any marijuana found and assist in determining to whom the drug belonged. The drug will be destroyed according to policy. The clinical team will re-assess the disposition of the patient possessing the drug with the team’s decision noted in the electronic medical record.