Subd. 1. Definitions.

For purposes of this section, the terms defined in this subdivision have the meanings given.

1. (a) "Board" means the Minnesota State Board of Pharmacy established under chapter 151.
2. (b) "Controlled substances" means those substances listed in section 152.02, subdivisions 3 to 5, and those substances defined by the board pursuant to section 152.02, subdivisions 7, 8, and 12.
3. (c) "Dispense" or "dispensing" has the meaning given in section 151.01, subdivision 30. Dispensing does not include the direct administering of a controlled substance to a patient by a licensed health care professional.
4. (d) "Dispenser" means a person authorized by law to dispense a controlled substance, pursuant to a valid prescription. For the purposes of this section, a dispenser does not include a licensed hospital pharmacy that distributes controlled substances for inpatient hospital care or a veterinarian who is dispensing prescriptions under section 156.18.
5. (e) "Prescriber" means a licensed health care professional who is authorized to prescribe a controlled substance under section 152.12, subdivision 1.
6. (f) "Prescription" has the meaning given in section 151.01, subdivision 16.

Subd. 1a. Treatment of intractable pain.

This section is not intended to limit or interfere with the legitimate prescribing of controlled substances for pain. No prescriber shall be subject to disciplinary action by a health-related licensing board for prescribing a controlled substance according to the provisions of section 152.125.

Subd. 2. Prescription electronic reporting system.

1. (a) The board shall establish by January 1, 2010, an electronic system for reporting the information required under subdivision 4 for all controlled substances dispensed within the state.
2. (b) The board may contract with a vendor for the purpose of obtaining technical assistance in the design, implementation, operation, and maintenance of the electronic reporting system.

Subd. 3. Prescription Electronic Reporting Advisory Committee.

1. (a) The board shall convene an advisory committee. The committee must include at least one representative of:

   1. (1) the Department of Health;
   2. (2) the Department of Human Services;
   3. (3) each health-related licensing board that licenses prescribers;
   4. (4) a professional medical association, which may include an association of pain management and chemical dependency specialists;
   5. (5) a professional pharmacy association;
   6. (6) a professional nursing association;
   7. (7) a professional dental association;
   8. (8) a consumer privacy or security advocate; and
   9. (9) a consumer or patient rights organization.

2. (b) The advisory committee shall advise the board on the development and operation of the electronic reporting system, including, but not limited to:

   1. (1) technical standards for electronic prescription drug reporting;
   2. (2) proper analysis and interpretation of prescription monitoring data; and
   3. (3) an evaluation process for the program.

Subd. 4. Reporting requirements; notice.

1. (a) Each dispenser must submit the following data to the board or its designated vendor, subject to the notice required under paragraph (d):

   1. (1) name of the prescriber;
   2. (2) national provider identifier of the prescriber;
   3. (3) name of the dispenser;
   4. (4) national provider identifier of the dispenser;
   5. (5) prescription number;
   6. (6) name of the patient for whom the prescription was written;
   7. (7) address of the patient for whom the prescription was written;
   8. (8) date of birth of the patient for whom the prescription was written;
   9. (9) date the prescription was written;
   10. (10) date the prescription was filled;
   11. (11) name and strength of the controlled substance;
   12. (12) quantity of controlled substance prescribed;
   13. (13) quantity of controlled substance dispensed; and
   14. (14) number of days supply.
2. (b) The dispenser must submit the required information by a procedure and in a format established by the board. The board may allow dispensers to omit data listed in this subdivision or may require the submission of data not listed in this subdivision provided the omission or submission is necessary for the purpose of complying with the electronic reporting or data transmission standards of the American Society for Automation in Pharmacy, the National Council on Prescription Drug Programs, or other relevant national standard-setting body.

3. (c) A dispenser is not required to submit this data for those controlled substance prescriptions dispensed for:

   1. (1) individuals residing in licensed skilled nursing or intermediate care facilities;
   2. (2) individuals receiving assisted living services under chapter 144G or through a medical assistance home and community-based waiver;
   3. (3) individuals receiving medication intravenously;
   4. (4) individuals receiving hospice and other palliative or end-of-life care; and
   5. (5) individuals receiving services from a home care provider regulated under chapter 144A.
4. (d) A dispenser must not submit data under this subdivision unless a conspicuous notice of the reporting requirements of this section is given to the patient for whom the prescription was written.

Subd. 5. Use of data by board.

1. (a) The board shall develop and maintain a database of the data reported under subdivision 4. The board shall maintain data that could identify an individual prescriber or dispenser in encrypted form. The database may be used by permissible users identified under subdivision 6 for the identification of:

   1. (1) individuals receiving prescriptions for controlled substances from prescribers who subsequently obtain controlled substances from dispensers in quantities or with a frequency inconsistent with generally recognized standards of use for those controlled substances, including standards accepted by national and international pain management associations; and
   2. (2) individuals presenting forged or otherwise false or altered prescriptions for controlled substances to dispensers.
2. (b) No permissible user identified under subdivision 6 may access the database for the sole purpose of identifying prescribers of controlled substances for unusual or excessive prescribing patterns without a valid search warrant or court order.
3. (c) No personnel of a state or federal occupational licensing board or agency may access the database for the purpose of obtaining information to be used to initiate or substantiate a disciplinary action against a prescriber.
4. (d) Data reported under subdivision 4 shall be retained by the board in the database for a 12-month period, and shall be removed from the database no later than 12 months from the last day of the month during which the data was received.

Subd. 6. Access to reporting system data.

1. (a) Except as indicated in this subdivision, the data submitted to the board under subdivision 4 is private data on individuals as defined in section 13.02, subdivision 12, and not subject to public disclosure.

2. (b) Except as specified in subdivision 5, the following persons shall be considered permissible users and may access the data submitted under subdivision 4 in the same or similar manner, and for the same or similar purposes, as those persons who are authorized to access similar private data on individuals under federal and state law:

   1. (1) a prescriber or an agent or employee of the prescriber to whom the prescriber has delegated the task of accessing the data, to the extent the information relates specifically to a current patient, to whom the prescriber is prescribing or considering prescribing any controlled substance and with the provision that the prescriber remains responsible for the use or misuse of data accessed by a delegated agent or employee;
   2. (2) a dispenser or an agent or employee of the dispenser to whom the dispenser has delegated the task of accessing the data, to the extent the information relates specifically to a current patient to whom that dispenser is dispensing or considering dispensing any controlled substance and with the provision that the dispenser remains responsible for the use or misuse of data accessed by a delegated agent or employee;
   3. (3) an individual who is the recipient of a controlled substance prescription for which data was submitted under subdivision 4, or a guardian of the individual, parent or guardian of a minor, or health care agent of the individual acting under a health care directive under chapter 145C;
   4. (4) personnel of the board specifically assigned to conduct a bona fide investigation of a specific licensee;
   5. (5) personnel of the board engaged in the collection of controlled substance prescription information as part of the assigned duties and responsibilities under this section;
   6. (6) authorized personnel of a vendor under contract with the board who are engaged in the design, implementation, operation, and maintenance of the electronic reporting system as part of the assigned duties and responsibilities of their employment, provided that access to data is limited to the minimum amount necessary to carry out such duties and responsibilities;
   7. (7) federal, state, and local law enforcement authorities acting pursuant to a valid search warrant;
   8. (8) personnel of the medical assistance program assigned to use the data collected under this section to identify recipients whose usage of controlled substances may warrant restriction to a single primary care physician, a single outpatient pharmacy, or a single hospital; and

   9. (9) personnel of the Department of Human Services assigned to access the data pursuant to paragraph (h).

      For purposes of clause (3), access by an individual includes persons in the definition of an individual under section 13.02.

3. (c) Any permissible user identified in paragraph (b), who directly accesses the data electronically, shall implement and maintain a comprehensive information security program that contains administrative, technical, and physical safeguards that are appropriate to the user's size and complexity, and the sensitivity of the personal information obtained. The permissible user shall identify reasonably foreseeable internal and external risks to the security, confidentiality, and integrity of personal information that could result in the unauthorized disclosure, misuse, or other compromise of the information and assess the sufficiency of any safeguards in place to control the risks.
4. (d) The board shall not release data submitted under this section unless it is provided with evidence, satisfactory to the board, that the person requesting the information is entitled to receive the data.
5. (e) The board shall not release the name of a prescriber without the written consent of the prescriber or a valid search warrant or court order. The board shall provide a mechanism for a prescriber to submit to the board a signed consent authorizing the release of the prescriber's name when data containing the prescriber's name is requested.
6. (f) The board shall maintain a log of all persons who access the data and shall ensure that any permissible user complies with paragraph (c) prior to attaining direct access to the data.
7. (g) Section 13.05, subdivision 6, shall apply to any contract the board enters into pursuant to subdivision 2. A vendor shall not use data collected under this section for any purpose not specified in this section.

8. (h) With available appropriations, the commissioner of human services shall establish and implement a system through which the Department of Human Services shall routinely access the data for the purpose of determining whether any client enrolled in an opioid treatment program licensed according to chapter 245A has been prescribed or dispensed a controlled substance in addition to that administered or dispensed by the opioid treatment program. When the commissioner determines there have been multiple prescribers or multiple prescriptions of controlled substances, the commissioner shall:

   1. (1) inform the medical director of the opioid treatment program only that the commissioner determined the existence of multiple prescribers or multiple prescriptions of controlled substances; and

   2. (2) direct the medical director of the opioid treatment program to access the data directly, review the effect of the multiple prescribers or multiple prescriptions, and document the review.

      If determined necessary, the commissioner of human services shall seek a federal waiver of, or exception to, any applicable provision of Code of Federal Regulations, title 42, part 2.34, item (c), prior to implementing this paragraph.

Subd. 7. Disciplinary action.

1. (a) A dispenser who knowingly fails to submit data to the board as required under this section is subject to disciplinary action by the appropriate health-related licensing board.
2. (b) A prescriber or dispenser authorized to access the data who knowingly discloses the data in violation of state or federal laws relating to the privacy of health care data shall be subject to disciplinary action by the appropriate health-related licensing board, and appropriate civil penalties.

Subd. 8. Evaluation and reporting.

1. (a) The board shall evaluate the prescription electronic reporting system to determine if the system is negatively impacting appropriate prescribing practices of controlled substances. The board may contract with a vendor to design and conduct the evaluation.
2. (b) The board shall submit the evaluation of the system to the legislature by July 15, 2011.

Subd. 9. Immunity from liability; no requirement to obtain information.

1. (a) A pharmacist, prescriber, or other dispenser making a report to the program in good faith under this section is immune from any civil, criminal, or administrative liability, which might otherwise be incurred or imposed as a result of the report, or on the basis that the pharmacist or prescriber did or did not seek or obtain or use information from the program.
2. (b) Nothing in this section shall require a pharmacist, prescriber, or other dispenser to obtain information about a patient from the program, and the pharmacist, prescriber, or other dispenser, if acting in good faith, is immune from any civil, criminal, or administrative liability that might otherwise be incurred or imposed for requesting, receiving, or using information from the program.

Subd. 10. Funding.

1. (a) The board may seek grants and private funds from nonprofit charitable foundations, the federal government, and other sources to fund the enhancement and ongoing operations of the prescription electronic reporting system established under this section. Any funds received shall be appropriated to the board for this purpose. The board may not expend funds to enhance the program in a way that conflicts with this section without seeking approval from the legislature.
2. (b) The administrative services unit for the health-related licensing boards shall apportion between the Board of Medical Practice, the Board of Nursing, the Board of Dentistry, the Board of Podiatric Medicine, the Board of Optometry, and the Board of Pharmacy an amount to be paid through fees by each respective board. The amount apportioned to each board shall equal each board's share of the annual appropriation to the Board of Pharmacy from the state government special revenue fund for operating the prescription electronic reporting system under this section. Each board's apportioned share shall be based on the number of prescribers or dispensers that each board identified in this paragraph licenses as a percentage of the total number of prescribers and dispensers licensed collectively by these boards. Each respective board may adjust the fees that the boards are required to collect to compensate for the amount apportioned to each board by the administrative services unit.