(a) The permit holder shall participate in the central registry for the purpose of sharing patient identifying information as requested by the department to prevent multiple enrollment of patients in narcotic treatment programs (NTPs).
(b) A narcotic drug shall not be provided to a patient who is known to be currently enrolled in another NTP except when the patient is a temporary transfer patient.
(c) The patient shall always report to the same NTP unless prior approval is requested by the parent NTP's program physician or program director for the patient to receive treatment as a temporary transfer patient at another NTP. In any event, a patient may not be authorized more than two weeks away from their home clinic without prior approval from the State Methadone Authority (SMA).
(d) A central registry shall be established by the department which shall maintain a record of the patient's identification and the NTP to which each patient is enrolled. Information shall be maintained in accordance with confidentiality requirements in the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 42, Part 2, and Title 42, §8.12(g).
(e) Each NTP shall report to the central registry specific information.
  (1) The following changes in patient status: new patient, readmitted to the same clinic, admitted from another NTP as a permanent transfer patient, transferred to another narcotic maintenance or detoxification program, deceased patient, or discharged (terminated) from maintenance or detoxification treatment shall be identified and reported to the central registry located at the department by telephone, electronic mail, or facsimile on the day the action occurs and written documentation must be submitted within a 24-hour period (or the next state working day immediately following weekends or holidays).
  (2) Each NTP's verbal and written report to the central registry shall identify and provide the following information for each patient:
    (A) name, address, and telephone number of the NTP, and approved narcotic drug permit number;
    (B) date action was taken (MO-DA-YR);
    (C) action taken identified as:
      (i) new patient, readmitted patient (NP);
      (ii) terminated patient (TP);
      (iii) permanent transfer-in patient (TIP);
      (iv) permanent transfer-out patient (TOP); or
      (v) deceased patient (DP); and
    (D) patient identification as follows:
      (i) Upon admission, the patient must be identified with a current Texas state driver's license, United States passport, military identification card, or Texas state-issued identification card containing a photograph of the patient or other identification approved by the SMA. If a patient is not able or willing to furnish the required documents, the program shall contact the SMA within 72 hours to access the Central Registry to check for possible duplicate enrollment and to discuss acceptable, alternate forms of identification. Photocopies of each of these documents must be maintained in the patient's record. The program shall document in the patient's file attempts to induce the patient to obtain state identification.
      (ii) An identification number shall be constructed using the following code numbers for the patient:
        (I) color of eyes: Brown (1), Blue (2), Green (3), Hazel (4), Gray (5), and Other (6);
        (II) date of birth stated in number digits with two digits for the month, day, and year (example: January 9, 1953--010953);
        (III) gender: male (1) and female (2); and
        (IV) race: White (1), Black (2), Hispanic (3), Asian (4), American Indian (5), and Other (6).
      (iii) An example of a patient identification number in accordance with clause (ii) of this subparagraph for a patient with blue eyes, date of birth--January 9, 1953, male, and white is 201095311. Patients with the same identification code will be assigned an alphabetical extension by the SMA (for example 201095311A, 201095311B, etc.).

Source Note: The provisions of this §229.150 adopted to be effective September 3, 1990, 15 TexReg 4823; amended to be effective September 1, 1992, 17 TexReg 5545; amended to be effective August 28, 1996, 21 TexReg 7845; amended to be effective December 31, 2001, 26 TexReg 10871; amended to be effective January 1, 2005, 29 TexReg 11980