Telemedicine was a hot topic for discussion during and immediately after the COVID pandemic. No surprises there. But more than five years after the pandemic first reached our shores, telemedicine remains a vibrant industry. My question is whether it has a role to play in medical cannabis.
It seems like an odd question at first. But stop and think about it. Medical cannabis occupies a strange ‘no man’s land’ somewhere between a legitimate medicine and a product many people use just like alcohol. There is no federal framework regulating it. As for the states, each does things in its own way.
Trying to plug telemedicine into such a confusing system is nothing short of challenging. But some states have risen to the occasion. According to Salt Lake City medical cannabis dispensary Beehive Farmacy, Utah has given the green light to telemedicine for limited needs.
Initial Consultations Must Be In-Person
Beehive Farmacy personnel explain that qualified patients in Utah must obtain a medical cannabis card before they can purchase products at a cannabis dispensary. In order to get that card, a patient must first consult with either a qualified medical provider (QMP) or limited medical provider (LMP).
That first initial visit must be conducted in person. Medical providers are not allowed to make telemedicine accessible to first-time patients. However, this only applies to the very first visit to get the very first card. A patient could switch to an entirely new medical provider on renewal and not have to see that provider in person.
Renewals by Way of Telemedicine
Utah medical cannabis patients must visit with a medical professional in order to renew their cards. Renewals are due every year. Fortunately, patients do not have to see their medical providers in-person. They can arrange for telemedicine visits instead.
We all know how telemedicine works. Doctor and patient meet via secure video conferencing. They have a discussion that allows both parties to ask questions. If a doctor is satisfied that a patient is still best treated with medical cannabis following a telemedicine visit, he can renew that patient’s recommendation.
Allowing telemedicine for renewals is a big deal in Utah. Remember that Utah is a largely rural state. Most of the state’s medical providers are concentrated in and around the few major urban centers Utah offers. By allowing telemedicine renewals, the state:
- Eliminates the need for costly and time-consuming travel.
- Makes medical cannabis cards more accessible to people with travel limitations.
- Facilitates continuity of care regardless of distance between provider and patient.
You could make the case that telemedicine removes the barriers that could otherwise prevent some patients from experiencing the benefits medical cannabis offers. But of course, there is always the question of whether telemedicine visits represent the best possible healthcare scenario.
Conversations Don’t Have to Be In-Person
The strongest argument in favor of telemedicine, in general, is that it offers a more efficient way to conduct visits that consist of nothing more than conversations. Note that the typical medical cannabis patient uses cannabis to treat something like chronic pain, nausea, or PTSD.
It is highly unlikely a doctor will conduct a thorough physical examination during a renewal visit. Instead, they would simply have a conversation with the patient about his current condition and medical cannabis use. Such conversations do not require in-person visits. They can be accomplished with videoconferencing.
Despite the medical cannabis environment being so foreign to the rest of healthcare, telemedicine does have a role to play in it. By allowing patients some access to telemedicine, states are making medical cannabis more accessible.