Kansas Tracking and Reporting of Controlled Substances (KTRACS) was implemented in 2010 as Kansas’ prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP). The KTRACS seeks to reduce the abuse of prescription drugs by systematically collecting data on all schedule II-IV controlled substances and other drugs of concern dispensed within Kansas from state licensed dispensaries. Licensed prescribers and dispensaries can also request reports on patients’ prescription history to deter inappropriate behavior.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Framework for Evaluating Public Health Surveillance Systems includes guidance to define a system’s acceptability, or the willingness of persons and organizations to participate in the surveillance system.
METHODS:
Data from two sources were analyzed for the period July 2013 to March 2015: (1) de-identified prescription record-level data from KTRACS and (2) secondary data on the use of KTRACS by prescribers and dispensaries from the Kansas Board of Pharmacy. Multiple indicators of acceptability were calculated, including the number of prescription history reports requested by prescribers and dispensaries per 100 Kansans who filled a schedule II-IV prescription drug, as well as the percentage of prescribers or dispensaries that were registered to request prescription history reports from KTRACS.
RESULTS:
From July 2013 to December 2014, the rate of reports requested by prescribers nearly tripled, from 5.3 to 15.8 reports per 100 Kansans who filled a schedule II-IV prescription drug. There was also a nearly three-fold increase in the rate of reports requested by dispensaries from 6.3 to 16.8 reports per 100 Kansans who filled a schedule II-IV prescription drug. By March 2015, 50% (N=4,703 / 9,323) of Kansas prescribers who prescribed controlled substances had an account to request patient’s prescription data—an increase of 18% from September 2013. Additionally, 41% (N=2,151 / 5,263) of dispensaries had an account to request patient’s prescription data in March 2015—an increase of 2% from September 2014. Finally, 82% of dispensaries that filled a controlled substance between January and March 2015 in Kansas reported at least once to KTRACS.
CONCLUSIONS:
Results demonstrate an increase in KTRACS’ acceptability among licensed prescribers and dispensaries in Kansas. However, nearly half of the prescribers and dispensaries in Kansas are not yet registered to use KTRACS to request patients’ prescription history reports despite prescribing or dispensing controlled substances. Expanding the use of KTRACS by prescribers and dispensaries in Kansas may help reduce any potential unlawful or inappropriate behavior by patients filling schedule II-IV controlled substances.