BACKGROUND: Washington State is experiencing an epidemic involving the misuse of prescription drugs. A major public health system has been established to address this called the prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP). For the program to have an optimal impact on this problem we need more providers regularly using the system to review the controlled substance dispensing history of their patients. We have found through provider surveys and stakeholder work that the best vehicle to increase use is to make the data seamlessly accessible from the electronic health record systems they use. This way they don’t’ have to login separately to the PDMP portal.
METHODS: The goal is to increase provider utilization of the PDMP by providing more seamless access through the Health Information Excahnge (HIE) into their Electronic Health Record (EHR) system. This will be done by completing the build out of a transaction using NCPCP 10.6, piloting the connection with healthcare systems and EHR vendors, and by continuing to promote and encourage the PDMP to remain an MU option through recent rule changes being proposed by CMS/ONC.
RESULTS: To date the transaction is in production with over 70 emergency departments and achieving positive results. We have also finished a pilot with a major EHR vendor and are working to on-board their customers.
CONCLUSIONS: Just the connection to our emergency departments more than doubled the number of queries we received from providers in 2015. We anticipate even more once we connect additional care settings. We hope from this to see a continued decline in unintentional poisonings due to prescription drugs.