Ryan Haight Act: How To Safely Prescribe Controlled Substances in Telepsychiatry (Part 3)

Prescribing controlled substances through telepsychiatry requires more than knowing the law. It requires knowing how to evaluate risk, read what is happening on camera, and maintain the same clinical standard you would bring to an in-person visit. In this episode of The Telepsychiatry Advantage—and part 3 of our Ryan Haight Act series—Dr. Edward Kaftarian explains why the screen does not lower the bar, especially when it comes to medications with safety risks, abuse potential, or diversion concerns. The episode gets into what clinicians should be watching for during a video visit—signs of intoxication, withdrawal, sedation, cognitive slowing, inconsistent stories, early refill requests, and other red flags that may change how you prescribe or monitor. Dr. Kaftarian also discusses the role of PDMP checks, collateral information, drug screens, documentation, and functional outcomes when deciding whether a controlled medication is truly helping the patient. For more information about Orbit Health, visit us at: https://www.orbithealth.com/