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. 2022 Feb;3(2):10.1056/cat.21.0373.
doi: 10.1056/cat.21.0373. Epub 2022 Jan 19.

Increasing Access to Safe Medical Cannabis: Establishment of a Medical Cannabis Program in a Safety-Net Academic Medical Center

Jonathan Ross  1   2 , Jaclyn Yamada  3   4 , Deepika Slawek  1   2 , Joanna L Starrels  5   6 , Chinazo O Cunningham  7 , Julia H Arnsten  8   9
Affiliations

Increasing Access to Safe Medical Cannabis: Establishment of a Medical Cannabis Program in a Safety-Net Academic Medical Center

Jonathan Ross et al. NEJM Catal Innov Care Deliv. 2022 Feb.

Abstract

Despite numerous challenges, Montefiore Medical Center in New York City implemented a program aimed at providing comprehensive, evidence-based medical cannabis certifications to patients, including those who have been historically disenfranchised, and shares insights from five years of operation.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.. Clinical Procedures for Evaluating Patients Interested in Medical Cannabis
This six-step process is designed to assess the patient’s motivation for medical cannabis, determine relative risks and benefits of certification, and establish parameters for appropriate use. Source: The author
FIGURE 2:
FIGURE 2:. Number of Patients Newly Certified for Medical Cannabis Through the Montefiore Medical Cannabis Program, By Month and Cumulatively, 2016–2021
Over five years of program implementation, capacity for certification has increased with higher numbers of monthly certifications as additional providers joined the MMCP. During the Covid-19 surge in New York City in early 2020, operations were severely impacted, with certifications returning to pre-pandemic levels after several months. Source: The authors
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