Ohio’s PDMP Gives Pharmacists Better Patient View

After a successful pilot program with Kroger’s pharmacies, Ohio’s prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP) is the first in the United States to offer advanced analytics for pharmacists and health care providers.

The State of Ohio Board of Pharmacy is working with Appriss Health, provider of a comprehensive platform for substance use disorder, to enhance the state’s PDMP, known as Ohio Automated Rx Reporting System (OARRS).

The PDMP now provides NarxCare, an advanced analytics and patient support solution, to Ohio prescribers and pharmacists, in clinical workflow and via OARRS, to assist in clinical decision-making and promote patient safety. The analytics are available for free to Ohio healthcare providers and pharmacists accessing OARRS via electronic health records (EHRs) and pharmacy management systems, as well as through the OARRS website.

Related article: Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs Benefit Pharmacists

“Given the current workload of a retail pharmacist, providing PDMP information as part of patient workflow is essential to ensuring pharmacists fulfill their responsibility to identify possible risks associated with the dispensing of controlled substance medications,” Cameron J. McNamee, Director of Policy and Communications for the Ohio Board of Pharmacy, told Drug Topics.

When the Board asked for feedback on programs that would assist with greater utilization of the PDMP, “Overwhelmingly, integration was designated as a top priority.  In addition, success of an early pilot program with Kroger bolstered support for a statewide implementation of an integration initiative,” McNamee said.

In the pilot program with Kroger, the retailer developed an integrated workflow system around the PDMP and required its pharmacists to view PDMP data under certain conditions.

The pilot project was deemed a success after Kroger said that pharmacist reviews of PDMP data increased more than 500%, from around 10% of all controlled substance prescriptions to more than 50%. “The increase in reviews has been accompanied by a reduction in controlled substance dispensing,” the PDMP Training and Technical Assistance Center said in its report about the pilot project.

“The system has overall been well-received by pharmacists, and enhancements continue to be made in response to feedback from the field. According to Kroger, it has met or surpassed PDMP and Kroger expectations for utility, secure access, and data confidentiality,” the report said.

Related article: Missouri PDMP Bill Fails-Again

Ohio was also one of the first states to implement a statewide program to integrate PDMP data into workflow at no cost to all eligible prescribers and dispensers via EHRs and pharmacy management systems through the single connection point of PMP Gateway.

“Ohio has enjoyed widespread support of its PDMP from Governor Kasich and the Ohio General Assembly. This support has allowed the State of Ohio Board of Pharmacy to make significant investments and improvements to Ohio’s PDMP,” McNamee said.  

Now, providers and pharmacists will also have access to NarxCare from Appriss Health, which aggregates and analyzes prescription information from providers and pharmacies. The platform then presents visual, interactive information - as well as advanced analytic insights, complex risk scores, and more, according to Appriss Health.

The system also provides tools and resources that support patients’ needs and connects them to treatment, if necessary.