Keep Patients Safe with Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs (PDMP)

Before prescribing prescription drugs to their patients, physicians in many states are required to check their state’s Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) database as a safeguard against the diversion and abuse of prescription medications. The rules vary from state to state, as well as which medications are covered by such programs, but most include a broad range of narcotics, tranquilizers, and stimulants.

Until now, however, there has been no easy way for prescribing physicians to check these records from other states, making for a time-consuming process that may have to be delegated to someone else. This leads to taking up staff’s time and taking away valuable time spent with patients.

Project Manager Deborah Wade and others at eClinicalWorks, in association with Appriss Health, are building a Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) integration. The result? Database checks between states will be as easy as clicking a button – leading to better and safer medicine nationwide. 

What is a PDMP?

• A Prescription Drug Monitoring Program guards against the misuse, diversion, and abuse of a broad range of prescription medications.
• Statewide PDMPs are available in 49 of 50 states (Missouri is county by county).
• Pharmacists fill in the registry with medications that are dispensed, and providers can check that registry before prescribing to their patients.
• The names of the various state PDMPs vary – for example, OARRS in Ohio, E-FORCSE® in Florida.
• PDMP integrations will be available seamlessly within the eClinicalWorks EHR, enabling physicians to conduct comprehensive drug checks across state lines with just a click of a button.

What is Appriss Health?

Kentucky-based Appriss Health offers the nation’s most comprehensive platform for the early identification, prevention, and management of substance abuse disorders. Appriss Health has joined forces with state PDMP programs to create a nationwide network and a gateway for sharing data between the states.

Integration with Appriss Health is accessible through On-Demand Activation within eClinicalWorks.

Read more: eClinicalWorks develops Opioid Risk Tool

How does it work?

Currently, for example, if a physician in the state of Ohio sees a patient from Indiana who is looking to switch medications, that physician is unable to locate information on that patient because each state’s PDMP is limited to data pertaining to patients who live in that state. Further, access to state PDMPs is limited to providers licensed to practice in those states – unless an effective integration program is in place. Now, with Appriss Health, practices can integrate with a nationwide PDMP network and check a given patient’s records in other states, helping detect prescriptions and histories that can improve patient safety. To further enhance access of PDMP data in real time, eClinicalWorks is introducing the Opioid Risk Tool, a smart form to assess and address a patient’s risk for opioid misuse and to improve physician adherence to treatment protocols. The tool will allow for earlier identification and intervention, promoting improved clinical outcomes and better and safer medicine across the nation.

How to Activate Appriss

Providers can establish a relationship with Appriss Health by filling out an interest form in the product activation tool within eClinicalWorks V11, on our Partners page, or in the user guide available at my.eclinicalworks.com.

Appriss Health will reach out to your practice once they are able to grant you web-service credentials, at which point you’re ready to access the PDMP network.

To learn more, watch our PDMP video with eClinicalWorks Project Manager Deborah Wade.