P787: Medical Cannabis Program

P787: Percent of complete medical cannabis client applications approved or denied within 30 calendar days of receipt

Current Value

90.5%

FY 2017

Definition

Line Bar

Story Behind the Curve

New Mexico is one of about 29 states with a Medical Cannabis Program (MCP).
The Lynn and Erin Compassionate Use Act became law in 2007. It allows New Mexicans with debilitating conditions to use medical cannabis. Timely review and approval of applications is important to ensure patients have safe access to medicine.
Patient enrollment has increased substantially. About 44,000 patients were enrolled in the Medical Cannabis Program at the start of fiscal year 2018. By the close of FY18-Q2, there were approximately 46,000 patients enrolled. Each week, the Program is approving about 1,300 applications then printing and mailing patient registry cards. During FY18-Q2, the Program processed 99.0% of completed applications within 30 calendar days of receipt, maintained from 99.0% in the first quarter of FY18. The average processing time for completed applications in FY18-Q2 was 9 days.
In quarter two, MCP reviewed and revised the current patient application for ease of use, flow, and readability. Additionally, the Caregiver application and the Personal Production License application have been reviewed. The goal is to release revised applications in Q3.

Partners

Patients and their families; caregivers
Advocates
Licensed non-profit producers (LNPP)
Licensed couriers, manufacturers, and laboratories
Legislature
Medical and Nursing Boards
Medical practitioner associations
New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) and private Information Technology networking and expertise
State and local law enforcement
BioTrack seed to sale software

What Works

Assisting patient applicants in their submission of complete applications.
Streamlining the approval process for applications.
Hiring additional employees as MCP applications increase.
Establishing a process for applications to be submitted electronically (by computer).
Educating the community, including medical providers and members of the public, about the Program and on how to submit complete applications.

Strategy

Streamline the application approval process:

Each information and records clerk will handle an application from beginning to end, including printing the patient registry identification card on the same day it is approved.
Identify ways to make renewals a more fluid process.

Action Plan

Q1: Implement the review of applications within five business days of receipt for completeness to reduce wait time for incomplete applications. Complete.
Q2: Review and revise patient enrollment application to reduce redundancies and make the application more fluid. In Progress.
Q3: Work with IT Program Manager to evaluate implementation of on-line submission of patient applications. In Progress.
Q4: Work with IT Program Manager to develop timeline for on-line submission of patient applications.

Clear Impact Suite is an easy-to-use, web-based software platform that helps your staff collaborate with external stakeholders and community partners by utilizing the combination of data collection, performance reporting, and program planning.