The podiatric physician shall comply with the requirements in this section when prescribing opioid analgesics for acute nonoperative pain and shall document completion of these requirements in the patient record:

(1) The podiatric physician, or his or her authorized designee, shall conduct queries of the PMP in accordance with the provisions of WAC 246-922-790 and document their review and any concerns in the patient record.

(2) If the podiatric physician prescribes opioids for effective pain control, such prescription must not be in a greater quantity than needed for the expected duration of pain severe enough to require opioids. A three-day supply or less will often be sufficient; more than a seven-day supply will rarely be needed. The podiatric physician shall not prescribe beyond a seven day supply without clinical documentation in the patient record to justify the need for such a quantity.

(3) The podiatric physician shall reevaluate the patient who does not follow the expected course of recovery. If documented improvement in function or pain control has not occurred, the podiatric physician shall reconsider the continued use of opioids or whether tapering or discontinuing opioids is clinically indicated.

(4) Follow-up visits for pain control must include objectives or metrics to be used to determine treatment success if opioids are to be continued. This may include:

(a) Change in pain level;

(b) Change in physical function;

(c) Change in psychosocial function; and

(d) Additional planned diagnostic evaluations to investigate causes of continued acute nonoperative pain or other treatments.

(5) Long-acting or extended release opioids are not typically indicated for acute nonoperative pain. Should a podiatric physician need to use a long-acting or extended release opioid for acute pain, the podiatric physician shall document the reason in the patient record.

(6) A podiatric physician shall not discontinue medication assisted treatment medications when treating acute pain, except when consistent with the provisions of WAC 246-922-780.

(7) If the podiatric physician elects to treat a patient with opioids beyond the six-week time period of acute nonoperative pain, the podiatric physician shall document in the patient record that the patient is transitioning from acute pain to subacute pain. Rules governing the treatment of subacute pain in WAC 246-922-705 and 246-922-710 shall apply.