West Virginia § 16-54-1 - 16-54-1. Definitions.

§ 16-54-1. 16-54-1. Definitions.

As used in this section:

"Acute pain" means a time limited pain caused by a specific disease or injury.

"Chronic pain" means a noncancer, nonend of life pain lasting more than three months or longer than the duration of normal tissue healing.

"Health care practitioner" or "practitioner" means:

(1) A physician authorized pursuant to the provisions of §30-3-1 et seq. and §30-14-1 et seq. of this code;

(2) A podiatrist licensed pursuant to the provisions of §30-3-1 et seq. of this code;

(3) A physician assistant with prescriptive authority as set forth in §30-3E-3 of this code;

(4) An advanced practice registered nurse with prescriptive authority as set forth in §30-7-15a of this code;

(5) A dentist licensed pursuant to the provisions of §30-4-1 et seq. of this code;

(6) An optometrist licensed pursuant to the provisions of §30-8-1 et seq. of this code;

(7) A physical therapist licensed pursuant to the provisions of §30-20-1 et seq. of this code;

(8) An occupational therapist licensed pursuant to the provisions of §30-28-1 et seq. of this code;

(9) An osteopathic physician licensed pursuant to the provisions of §30-14-1 et seq. of this code; and

(10) A chiropractor licensed pursuant to the provisions of §30-16-1 et seq. of this code.

"Insurance provider" means an entity that is regulated under the provisions of §33-15-1 et seq., §33-16-1 et seq., §33-24-1 et seq., §33-25-1 et seq. and §33-25A-1 et seq. of this code.

"Office" means the Office of Drug Control Policy.

"Pain clinic" means the same as that term is defined in §16-5H-2 of this code.

"Pain specialist" means a practitioner who is board certified in pain management or a related field.

"Prescribe" means the advisement of a physician or other licensed practitioner to a patient for a course of treatment. It can include but is not limited to medication, services, supplies, equipment, procedures, diagnostic tests, or screening as permitted by the physician or other licensed practitioner’s scope of practice.

"Referral" means the recommendation by a person to another person for the purpose of initiating care by a health care practitioner.

"Schedule II opioid drug" means an opioid drug listed in §60A-2-206 of this code.

"Surgical procedure" means a medical procedure involving an incision with instruments performed to repair damage or arrest disease in a living body.