The goal of Family Medical Cannabis Clinic (FMCC) is to empower families and patients to choose the best treatment approach for the patient’s medical condition. We have streamlined the process through which qualified patients will be able to receive medical cannabis ordered by a Florida-sanctioned physician.

As part of our streamlined process, FMCC will offer telemedicine consultations (via a HIPAA-compliant video conferencing application) for the first appointment (when appropriate, in accordance with Florida telemedicine laws) to establish the patient/physician relationship.  At this time, it is not clear that appointments where medical cannabis will actually be ordered is allowed under Florida telemedicine laws, but if we get confirmation about this, such appointments also will be available via telemedicine. FMCC offer limited  appointment times outside of usual office hours to make it easier for qualified patients to work around school, work, and therapy schedules.

Initial and follow-up consultations will be at a flat rate of $200. Although patients will spend about 10 minutes on average face-to-face with the physician, considerable work is done by the physician and staff both before and after the consultation to make sure that all requirements under Florida Law have been met.

In accordance with current Florida law, there are several main requirements, all of which must be satisfied before a patient may be considered eligible to obtain medical cannabis:

1. A patient who is a legal resident in Florida may only qualify if s/he has a diagnosis for at least one of the following medical conditions:
    For low-THC medical cannabis

• A physical medical condition that chronically produces symptoms of seizures, or
• A condition that chronically produces persistent muscle spasms, or
• Cancer

  For THC-containing medical cannabis

• A terminal medical condition, as stated by the specialist treating for that condition.
   

2. The patient has been an active patient for at least three months of a physician who has been certified by the state to be an ordering physician. For this, a physician must be licensed in Florida and has taken a specific, state-sponsored, 8-hour medical education course and passed the final certification examination; and

3. During the consultation, the ordering physician must determine that the risks of ordering low-THC medical cannabis or THC containing medical cannabis are reasonable in light of the potential benefit for that patient and document this in the chart; and
 
4. During the consultation, the ordering physician and patient/family must attest that "no other satisfactory alternative treatment options exist for the qualified patient" and document this in the chart; and

5. Additional patient requirements:
a) For pediatric patients - any patient under 18-years-old must have a second Florida-licensed physician who concurs in writing that the potential benefits of treating the patient with low-THC medical cannabis outweigh the risks for the patient.  The concurring physician does not have to be certified by the State to order Low-THC medical cannabis nor does this physician need to formally document a recommendation
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b) For patients with a terminal medical condition - any patient with a terminal condition must have that condition attested to by the ordering physician. FMCC must be presented with the medical documentation stating the terminal status from a board-certified physician in an appropriate specialty for that condition. The physician who documented the terminal condition need not state a recommendation that the patient be treated with medical cannabis. The patient must have considered all other treatment options for the terminal condition currently approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration;

c) For adult patients being treated with Low-THC medical cannabis - documentation of a second physician’s confirmation is not needed for adults being treated with low-THC medical cannabis. However, we require a copy of the patient’s medical record or other documentation from a physician that states the patient’s diagnosis.  

The Florida Department of Health’s information sheet that reviews all relevant rules and laws, can be found at: http://www.floridahealth.gov/programs-and-services/office-of-compassionate-use/_documents/ocu-physicians-qxp-2016.pdf