Prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs) are databases that monitor the prescribing and dispensing of certain controlled substances. Through these programs, health care providers can review a patient’s prescription history for opioids or other controlled substances and assess the patient’s risk of substance use disorder (SUD) before prescribing a new medication. This prevents patients from obtaining unnecessary prescriptions from multiple providers (a practice referred to as “doctor shopping”) and allows providers to intervene early and prevent SUD and overdoses. PDMPs are a public health informational tool that gives providers a holistic understanding of their patients to increase the safety of prescriptions.
Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs: Another Look at PDMP for Missouri
