The Ohio Academy of Family Physicians has received dozens of complaints about the latest round of threatening emails from the State Medical Board of Ohio (SMBO) pertaining to August Ohio Automated Rx Reporting System (OARRS) mandatory use compliance reports.
Several emails sent by the SMBO contained incorrect medical license numbers. Even if the license number is incorrect, the SMBO states that the OARRS/ICD-10 code information in the email is correct for each addressee. Again, while the license number on the email may be incorrect, we have been advised by the SMBO that the OARRS/ICD-10 code information contained in the email is correct.
Physicians can verify OARRS checks by reviewing their August 2018 mandatory use compliance report. Physicians can find the ICD-10 codes on their “My Rx” report. Submitting a “My Rx” request for the month of August will show which prescriptions have an ICD-10 code versus those that do not.
If, after reviewing the OARRS data, you feel that the data does not properly reflect your prescribing history, please email the SMBO and include your full name, practice/office address, SMBO license number, correct DEA number(s), and a brief explanation or the corrections that need to be made.
All concerns received by the OAFP have been forwarded to both the SMBO and the State of Ohio Board of Pharmacy (SOBP). OARRS data integrity continues to be issue that is both concerning and extremely frustrating. For example, several members who received emails saying OARRS/ICD-10 code information is missing state that their EHR doesn’t permit the script to be sent unless the ICD-10 information is included. Clearly, data integrity continues to be a major issue and must be addressed.
We ask that OAFP members notify us of problems they are experiencing relative to the August 2018 mandatory use compliance report. These problems are being addressed directly with both the SMBO and the SOBP.
I also received one of these letters with an incorrect license number. It says that I failed to check an oars report for 2 prescriptions, which I believe. It says that 58 prescriptions were sent without a code attached. I use epic which requires that I attach a code in order to send my controlled drugs, so this is impossible. I work for OSU physicians and apparently others in my group received similar emails. IT is investigating whether our epic system failed in some way.
Thanks for letting me know that it is a wider problem than just my group.