A recent feature in New Jersey Pediatrics by Guillermo Beades highlights a significant regulatory shift impacting telehealth prescribing in New Jersey. With the termination of the COVID-19 State of Emergency, the New Jersey State Board of Medical Examiners has reinstated the requirement that patients receiving Schedule II controlled substances undergo an initial in-person visit and follow-up visits every three months. This marks a return to stricter oversight, particularly affecting providers who relied on telehealth to prescribe medications such as Adderall® and Ritalin® during the pandemic.
The change carries important implications for pediatricians managing patients with ADHD and similar conditions. While the law includes a key exception allowing telehealth prescribing of stimulants for minors, this flexibility is contingent on using real-time, two-way audio and video technology and obtaining documented written consent from a guardian. Providers treating adult patients or prescribing other Schedule II medications must fully comply with the reinstated in-person requirements.
Pediatric practices should reassess their telehealth workflows, documentation practices, and scheduling protocols to ensure compliance. Failure to meet these requirements may result in disciplinary action by the Board, along with potential scrutiny from payors and other regulatory bodies.
Read the full article in New Jersey Pediatrics (found on page 43).
