HB 2098 has no effect on the requirement that pain management clinics be owned by physicians. HB 2098, enacted by the 82nd Legislature, allows entities to be jointly owned by physicians and physician assistants subject to certain limitations, including percent of ownership by physician assistants. Tex. Occ. Code, Sec. 167.102(a), requires that a pain management clinic be owned and operated by physicians practicing in Texas under an unrestricted license. An ownership interest by anyone other than a physician is not allowed. Note: The TMB cannot give legal advice. Please consult an attorney if you have questions regarding whether or not your entity is required to report. However, the owners of entities that have not been properly reported can be investigated.

A pain management clinic is defined in statute and rule as a publicly or privately owned facility for which a majority of patients are issued on a monthly basis, a prescription for opioids, benzodiazepines, barbiturates, or carisoprodol, but not including suboxone.

The physician owner/operator of a pain management clinic must register with the TMB. Certificates, once issued, are not transferable or assignable. Only the primary physician owner is required to register with the board if there is more than one physician owner of the clinic. Each clinic requires a separate certificate.

Regulations regarding the registration and operation of pain management clinics do not apply to the following settings:

• a medical or dental school or an outpatient clinics associated with a medical or dental school;
• a hospital, including any outpatient facility or clinic of a hospital;
• a hospice established under 40 TAC §97.403 (relating to Standards Specific to Agencies Licensed to Provide Hospice Services) or defined by 42 CFR §418.3;
• a facility maintained or operated by this state;
• a clinic maintained or operated by the United States;
• a nonprofit health organization certified by the board under Chapter 177 of this title (relating to Certification of Non-Profit Health Organizations);
• a clinic owned or operated by a physician who treats patients within the physician's area of specialty who personally uses other forms of treatment, including surgery, with the issuance of a prescription for a majority of the patients.

Note: The TMB cannot give legal advice. Please consult an attorney if you have questions regarding whether or not your clinic meets one of the exemptions listed above. However, the Board does have inspection authority, and owners of clinics that have not been properly registered can be investigated.

A pain management clinic may not operate in Texas unless the clinic is owned and operated by a medical director who: • is a physician who practices in Texas • has an unrestricted medical license • holds a certificate of registration for that pain management clinic   In addition, the owner/operator of a pain management clinic, an employee of the clinic, or a person with whom a clinic contracts for services may not: • have been denied, by any jurisdiction, a license issued by the Drug Enforcement Agency or a state public safety agency under which the person may prescribe, dispense, administer, supply, or sell a controlled substance; • have held a license issued by the Drug Enforcement Agency or a state public safety agency in any jurisdiction, under which the person may prescribe, dispense, administer, supply, or sell a controlled substance, that has been restricted; or • have been subject to disciplinary action by any licensing entity for conduct that was a result of inappropriately prescribing, dispensing, administering, supplying, or selling a controlled substance   A pain management clinic may not be owned wholly or partly by a person who has been convicted of, pled nolo contendere to, or received deferred adjudication for: • an offense that constitutes a felony; or • an offense that constitutes a misdemeanor, the facts of which relate to the distribution of illegal prescription drugs or a controlled substance as defined by Texas Occupations Code Annotated §551.003(11)   The medical director of a pain management clinic must operate the clinic in compliance with Drug Prevention and Control Act, 21 U.S.C.A. 801 et.seq. and the Texas Controlled Substances Act, Chapter 481 of the Texas Health and Safety Code, relating to the prescribing and dispensing of controlled substances. The medical director of a pain management clinic must, on an annual basis, ensure that all personnel: • are properly licensed, if applicable, • are trained including 10 hours of continuing medical education related to pain management, and • are qualified for employment.

At this time there is no charge to register a pain management clinic.

Certificates will be valid for two years. Registration forms will be mailed 60-90 days prior to the expiration date of a certificate. Certificate holders shall have a 180-day grace period from the expiration date to renew the certificate, however, the owner or operator of the clinic may not continue to operate the clinic while the permit is expired. Certificates must be timely renewed. If a certificate is not renewed before the expiration of the grace period, the certificate will be automatically cancelled and the owner or operator of the clinic must reapply for original certification.

A name change or change of address for a registered pain management clinic must be submitted in writing (by mail or fax).  Please use the PMC change of address form located here.

Per Board Rule 195.4(e), the medical director or owner/operator of the pain management clinic, must on annual basis, ensure all personnel are properly licensed and, if applicable, have the requisite training to include 10 hours of continuing medical education (CME) annually in the area of pain management. This CME requirement applies to all personnel providing medical services to the patients (including, but not limited to: PAs, x-ray techs, phlebotomists, RNs, MAs, etc.). Office staff, such as managers, janitors, etc. who do not provide medical services, would not be required to meet the CME requirement, but would need to be listed in response to a pain clinic audit which requires listing all clinic personnel for that clinic. Documentation of the completed CME course shall be required to be made available upon request by Board Staff, including, but not limited to, during an on-site audit of the clinic, or during the certificate renewal process. The Board does have the authority to conduct audits and inspections at clinics to ensure compliance with all requirements and regulations pertaining to registered pain clinics, including audits of CME training as required.

Documentation of CME courses shall be made available to the Board upon request but should not be mailed with the registration. CME audits will be conducted to assure compliance.

At this time “Look up a License” can give access to any public actions taken against a Pain Management Clinic (PMC) certificate. However, for additional information on the status of a PMC certificate, please look under the “Other Healthcare Professionals” tab on the “Look up a License” page.