Enhancing Access to PDMP Project Launches, NABP and Indiana PMP Participating

The launch of pilot programs as part of the Enhancing Access to PDMPs Project, in which NABP is participating, was announced by the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC). As described in the press release, two pilot projects taking place in Indiana and Ohio will measure the effects of expanding and improving access to prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs). Specifically, the pilots will make existing prescription drug use data available to providers and pharmacists when treating patients in ambulatory and emergency departments. Gil Kerlikowske, director of National Drug Control Policy stressed the importance of technology in addressing the prescription drug abuse epidemic. He stated further that “Together with education, proper disposal practices, and enforcement, improving existing prescription monitoring programs is a priority for this administration. We hope these innovative pilots will help usher in an era of ‘PDMPs 2.0’ across the nation to improve real time data sharing among, increase interoperability of data among states, and expand the number of people using these important tools.”