Colleagues:

This email is a reminder of California’s mandate that we use CURES 2.0 which is California’s prescription drug monitoring program. The program is designed to improve opioid prescribing and part of a national effort to combat the opioid epidemic.

California requires all providers who prescribe Schedule II-IV controlled drugs to use CURES 2.0 by October 2, 2018. Here’s 4 steps to make sure you are ready.

• Are you registered? If not, please sign up soon at the CURES 2.0 registration website
• Review California’s requirements for review and documentation of your patient’s controlled substance data using CURES 2.0 before you prescribe narcotics.
  • This must be done no earlier than 24 hours, or one business day before prescribing
  • This must be done for the first time, and every 4 months thereafter if the medications remain part of the treatment of the patient
  • There are some exceptions such as patients on Hospice.  See this document for more details on exceptions (Health and Safety Code 11165.4)
• Learn about Stanford’s Epic approach to making sure that we are using CURES 2.0 and meeting California’s requirements for review and documentation. EPIC Central article on documenting CURES 2.0 check
• Review Training on the CURES 2.0 system at the Attorney General CURES 2.0 training page 

Stanford/UHA have an Opiate Task Force developing additional training materials. We will advise you of updates.  Please feel free to send us your concerns or suggestions regarding CURES 2.0.

Click here to read the official CURES Advisory Memo

Click here to read CURES information from the California DOJ

Regards, 

Office of the Chief Medical Officer