Are you planning to apply for a medical cannabis card? If so, you might want to check out your state’s requirements regarding a health evaluation from a medical provider. A health evaluation is a pretty standard requirement in states with medical cannabis programs.
The health evaluation is nothing to worry about. It is just an appointment with a medical provider, an appointment in which you and your provider go over your qualifying medical condition, current health, and other related topics. It really isn’t much different from an annual physical.
Nonetheless, you might be nervous about the appointment. So to ease your anxiety somewhat, here is what you can expect from your first medical cannabis health evaluation:
1. A Review of Your Qualifying Condition
We will start with the review of your qualifying condition, given that it is the center of your medical cannabis card application. A GP who has been seeing you for years will be very familiar with your condition and how it affects you. But if you’re seeing a medical provider you haven’t seen before, they will have to review your condition and its symptoms.
The point of this review is to understand two things: if your condition actually qualifies for medical cannabis in your state and whether cannabis is an appropriate treatment for you.
2. A Discussion About Your Medical History
In addition to reviewing your qualifying medical condition, the provider is going to want to know more about your medical history. This is not simply the doctor or nurse practitioner being nosy. A good understanding of your history will help the medical provider determine whether cannabis really is your best option.
For instance, there may be better ways to treat a patient with a history of substance abuse. That is not to say that medical cannabis is out of the question in such cases. But it is to say that most medical providers want to be extremely cautious so as to not encourage substance abuse once again.
3. A Discussion About Your Goals
Expect to have a discussion with your medical provider about your goals for using medical cannabis. Such discussions are necessary because cannabis is not curative in nature. In other words, it does not cure disease or heal injuries. Medical cannabis is recommended to treat symptoms.
As an example, the majority of patients with Utah medical cannabis cards are chronic pain patients, according to the experts at BeehiveMed.com in Salt Lake City. They use medical cannabis to relieve pain caused by any number of conditions, including cancer, arthritis, and so on.
Medical providers want to know what their patients hope to gain by using medical cannabis. If their goals are unrealistic, perhaps medical cannabis isn’t the best option. Or perhaps they just need new goals.
4. A Discussion About Dose and Delivery Method
Plan to discuss medical cannabis dose and delivery method, at least a little bit. Some states put that responsibility on pharmacists rather than medical providers, so you might have to engage with a medical cannabis pharmacist in-depth before you make your first purchase.
Whether you talk to your doctor or pharmacist, dose and delivery method discussions are necessary because medical cannabis doesn’t come with the same detailed instructions as a traditional prescription drug. You may have to try different things before you land on the right dose and delivery method.
An initial health evaluation is necessary to obtain a medical cannabis card. But it is nothing to worry about. Medical evaluations are simple, straightforward, and necessary to keep everyone in the loop.