Earlier this year, the state wanted to get a better idea of how medical providers are plugging into the Medical Cannabis program. So they sent out a survey. Both Qualified Medical Providers (QMPs) and Limited Medical Providers (LMPs) could complete the survey. Needless to say, the survey offers up some interesting information.
For the record, QMPs are licensed by the state to recommend Medical Cannabis to a patient count equal to 1.5% of the total number of Medical Cannabis Card holders in the state. They have undergone continuing education and attained a license from the state. LMPs have not been specifically licensed because they have not completed the educational requirements. Yet they can recommend Medical Cannabis to a total of fifteen patients.
The first interesting thing we noticed is who actually responded to the survey. Most responses came from advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs). An APRN can be one of four types of advanced practice nurses: nurse practitioner, nurse midwife, clinical nurse specialist, and certified registered nurse anesthetist.
For the purposes of the survey, the state also included responses from physician assistants and licensed physicians. Whether or not the survey data indicates that APRNs are more likely to recommend Medical Cannabis than other providers is not clear. Perhaps that is something to be studied later on.
We were also fascinated to learn that the majority of the respondents were QMPs. We are not necessarily surprised, given that QMPs are demonstrably more invested in the Medical Cannabis idea than their LMP counterparts. But it would have been nice to glean more data from LMPs.
While the types of survey respondents are certainly interesting and worth looking at, the most important data from this survey demonstrates that the services QMPs provide are far more than just Medical Cannabis Card assistance.
This is important to us given the fact that state regulators went out of their way during the early days of the program to prevent card mills. The last thing they wanted was provider offices giving away Medical Cannabis Cards like candy. We already know the card mill problem hasn’t become reality here in Utah. Survey data backs that up.
Approximately 72% of Utah’s QMPs offer general patient education in relation to Medical Cannabis therapies. We think that this is huge. Education is key to getting the most out of a Medical Cannabis treatment. But let’s not stop there. What types of additional education are QMPs making available? Survey data suggests the following:
In addition to education, 62% of Utah QMPs also screen for other medical conditions. Additional screening is good for patients because it provides a much better picture of overall patient health and wellness. Screening for additional medical conditions also informs a medical provider’s recommendations.
It is probably a fairly safe bet that at least some QMPs and LMPs offer very little by way of Medical Cannabis services other than helping patients obtain their cards. But it is also a safe bet that some QMP clinics offer other services. Our very own KindlyMD clinics offer a number of additional services including therapy and medication management.
Data from the recent state survey paints a very positive picture of medical provider participation in the Medical Cannabis program. We couldn’t be happier. Card mills have been avoided while patients are the beneficiaries of services provided by medical professionals dedicated to helping them feel better.
