Drug Monitoring

Essential Concerns about PDMPs for Health Care Providers

The Meaning and Functions of PDMP

PDMP means Prescription Drug Monitoring Program which controls substance prescriptions. The function of this electronic database is to monitor prescribed drugs from pharmacies or practitioners for patients. It aims to safeguard the patients from the abuse and misuse of Opioids or other strong drugs.

Reliable Prescribing Can Save Lives

A reliable way before giving out prescriptions to patients is to promote the use PDMP. It is encouraged to apply this process so that a patient’s history is reviewed for any use of controlled substances.

The use of PDMP is being proactive in a way that it ensures patients safety while delivering different substances effectively. This tool improves the distribution of controlled drugs, therefore, reducing the cases of drug abuse, misuse and overdose.

PDMP’s to Enhance the Safety of Patients

The use of PDMPs improves patients’ safety because it helps health care providers on the process of administering drugs to patients. It provides necessary information and intervention to save patients’ lives.

Reminders to improve patient safety:

• Dismiss patients from care is prohibited.
• If patients are receiving high total opioid dosages, carefully suggest on:
  • a plan to gradually decrease the intake to a more safe dosage
  • offering naloxone
• If patients are taking benzodiazepines with opioids, consider:
  • talking to others managing the patient
  • evaluating the goals, needs and risks of the patient
• If patients are considering opioids use disorder
  • discuss treatment process for safety