Roles and Responsibilities of Marijuana Doctors
If you are a physician or health care professional, you might consider recommending marijuana to your patients. It can be essential to patient treatment but it is not always easy.
Physicians must keep up with the latest research on medicinal marijuana and understand its use for specific conditions. Then, it can help them provide their patients with accurate and safe medical marijuana treatments.
Patient Evaluations
The role and responsibilities of marijuana doctors in Alabama are critical to the medical cannabis patient evaluation process. They ensure that patients are a good fit for medical marijuana treatment and provide guidance on safe cannabis use.
The first step is to find a physician who can assess your health condition and decide if you are a good candidate for medicinal marijuana treatment. Most states require evaluating physicians to register with their MMJ program and receive extra certifications or training from issuing valid medical marijuana recommendations.
During the evaluation, the physician will review your medical history and discuss your current symptoms. They will also ask you about the types of treatments you are currently taking.
After the evaluation, the doctor will discuss the risks and benefits of medical marijuana with you and recommend a treatment plan. They may also arrange a follow-up visit.
Prescriptions
In states that allow medicinal marijuana, doctors can write prescriptions for patients with conditions listed on their state’s list of qualifying illnesses. Once a doctor writes the prescription, the patient can legally purchase, possess and use medical cannabis.
Marijuana can be smoked, vaporized, or ingested in various forms. Smokeless products, including edibles and teas, are commonly recommended because they can deliver a much more concentrated dose than cigarette smoke.
A marijuana doctor will help you decide which form of cannabis is best for your specific condition and how to administer it correctly. They can also help you choose the right dispensary and product offerings that suit your needs.
Medical cannabis has been known to treat conditions that aren’t well-treated with conventional medications, such as chronic pain and seizures. In addition, it can alleviate nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy and stimulate appetite.
Many physicians are surprised at the success of marijuana in treating various illnesses, from cancer-related pain and nausea to Parkinson’s disease, fibromyalgia, endometriosis, and interstitial cystitis. Thankfully, many cannabis-focused medical professionals are ready to take on this challenge and help their patients find relief.
Follow-Ups
A good marijuana doctor will schedule regular follow-ups to ensure a patient receives the best care possible. They will re-evaluate the patient’s conditions and needs and make any changes to the patient’s orders so they are constantly receiving the best medical treatment available for their specific condition.
Physicians also have a role in educating patients and will frequently reach out to dispensaries to answer questions and help educate the community. It is essential for patients who are still determining what they can expect from their new medicine or have concerns about how it will affect them.
As a patient, you deserve to have your doctor advocate for you in this way. Whether you are struggling with chronic pain, insomnia, anxiety, or depression, cannabis is a safe and natural way to relieve these symptoms and treat the root cause of the problem.
If you live in a state where medical cannabis is legal, check the state-by-state guide to qualifying conditions and contact a local physician. Physicians have a wide variety of experience treating various medical ailments and can assist you in determining if marijuana is suitable for your unique situation.
If your primary care doctor recommends medical marijuana, ask them to fax any relevant records to the physician you meet with. It will help streamline the process and make the consultation as seamless as possible.
Education
Education is a crucial component of preparing future physicians for their role in medical marijuana counseling. Despite the growing number of states that legalize cannabis, a lack of formal education is a barrier to practitioners’ ability to provide adequate care and counsel patients.
In addition, many doctors have limited clinical knowledge and experience in medical cannabis therapy because it is federally illegal and rarely included in medical school curriculums. As a result, these physicians often practice primarily by assessing patients and recommending cannabis use for approved state medical conditions to meet the physician’s recommendation requirement.
Only a few states require specific clinical training for physicians who wish to prescribe cannabis to their patients. However, this is an area of increasing interest among physicians across the country and internationally.
There is a need for more formal education and training of physicians in medical school and residency, more opportunities for cannabis-related CME for practicing physicians, and clinical and basic science research to elucidate best practices in cannabis medicine.
To address this gap in knowledge, an online education curriculum for medical practitioners seeking to certify patients has been developed. It includes information on the scientific basis and clinical implications of the use of medical cannabis as well as a legal overview of medical marijuana.