PDMP and EPCS are two emerging abbreviations essential to curbing the current opioid epidemic. David McFarlane, Marketing Communications Manager with Medsphere, and Host Tyler Kern discussed what they are and their relevance.

PDMP, or Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs, are state registries that track opioid administration by pharmacists. PDMPs are not implemented in every state and are not state-standardized. EPCS, or Electronic Prescriptions for Controlled Substances, is when providers send a prescription to a pharmacy and there is an electronic record that can link to the PDMP.

Currently, PDMP and EPCS are not federally mandated. Twenty-two states lack one program while six lack either. This will likely soon change, as the government moves to enforce overarching requirements that could prevent addicted individuals from doctor shopping across state lines.

A federal mandate would not change pharmacist workflow much if these programs are automated. In fact, implementation would benefit healthcare workers such as physicians. An ER physician might pull up a patient record and observe a history of their prescriptions on the registry to see if anything indicates addiction. McFarlane explained, “It also gives him or her a clear picture of where that patient sitting in front of him or her sits and what their real needs are.”

This data is useful but there is no protocol for how to approach it in terms of funneling patients to rehab programs or administering weaning medications. McFarlane stated, “That’s something that has to be discussed widely in the country in terms of programs, in terms of protocols for physicians in different hospitals.”

As for next steps, McFarlane believes protocol standardization at the state level is achievable if small hospitals receive funding to implement opioid programs and comply with a mandate.

Learn more about PDPM and EPCS and get in contact with McFarlane by visiting medsphere.com.