Abstract
This cross-sectional study assesses the level of electronic health record (EHR) and prescription drug monitoring program integration in hospitals in US counties with vs without high opioid prescribing rates.
Highlights
Prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs) have become a widely embraced policy solution to the opioid epidemic in the US
Hospitals located in counties with high rate of opioid prescribing were less likely to report e-prescribing of controlled substances (AME, −0.05; 95% confidence intervals (CI), −0.09 to 0.00; P = .04), electronic health record (EHR)-based PDMP queries (AME, −0.07; 95% CI −0.12 to −0.02; P < .01), and PDMP integration (AME, −0.05; 95% CI, −0.09 to −0.01; P = .02)
Hospitals located in areas with high rates of opioid prescribing were less likely to have these functionalities, which may limit the effectiveness of PDMPs in these high-needs areas
Summary
Prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs) have become a widely embraced policy solution to the opioid epidemic in the US. PDMPs offer prescribers a comprehensive view of patients’ controlled substance prescription history and can be used to monitor and reduce inappropriate opioid prescribing.[1] poor usability and lack of integration with electronic health records (EHRs) have limited their effectiveness.[2] without PDMP integration in EHRs, prescribers are forced to manage multiple disconnected software systems that interrupt clinical workflow, which may exacerbate technology-driven physician burnout and result in prescribers neglecting to check the PDMP before writing opioid prescriptions.[3] Efforts to integrate PDMPs with EHRs may be associated with reduced prescriber burden and improved PDMP effectiveness; the extent to which this adoption has occurred remains unknown on a national scale in the US. Extant literature has focused on usability of PDMP systems rather than adoption and integration. PDMP integration rates are important among hospitals, which are major sources of ambulatory care and potential opioid prescribing. Hospitals in areas with high opioid prescribing rates may gain the most from PDMP integration efforts because physicians are more likely to provide treatment to patients with current or past opioid prescriptions in these regions. We assessed the level of EHR and PDMP integration in hospitals, comparing hospitals located in US counties with vs without high opioid prescribing rates
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