Prescription drug use data will be made available to providers and pharmacists when treating patients in ambulatory and emergency departments through a new pilot program launched today by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology.
The pilot projects, which will take place in Indiana and Ohio, will measure the effects of expanding and improving access to prescription drug monitoring programs and are part of the Obama administration’s comprehensive efforts to reduce the prescription drug abuse epidemic.
“Technology plays a critical role in our comprehensive efforts to address our nation’s prescription drug abuse epidemic,” said Gil Kerlikowske, director of National Drug Control Policy. “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.”
For additional information about ONC or on the PDMP project, visit http://HealthIT.HHS.gov
