Physicians and PDMPs: Improving the Use of Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs

Prescription drug abuse and misuse is a critical public health issue impacting families and communities across the country. According to the most recent data, an estimated 2.4 million Americans used prescription drugs non-medically for the first time within the previous year, and approximately 1 million emergency department visits were attributed to prescription drug abuse annually.

A variety of tools are available to address misuse, abuse and diversion. One of the most valuable tools has been prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPS).

On June 2, 2015, NEHI hosted an expert forum, with physician leaders and pharmacy experts to better understand the challenges and opportunities related to the use of PDMPs (see Appendix A for full list of participants). This issue brief outlines key themes and policy recommendations for consideration at the state and congressional level that emerged from that discussion.