The Prescription Monitoring Program of Virginia was awarded a $3.1 million grant from Perdue Pharma, a biopharmaceutical company.
The funding will help integrate PMP data into provider and pharmacist clinical workflow, using NarxCare technology developed by Kentucky-based Appriss, which will connect the state's PMP to provider and pharmacy EHRs, officials said. Appriss operates Virginia's PMP.
The integration is another step toward combating opioid addiction and overdose in the commonwealth.
Providers and pharmacists can use the Virginia PMP database to check a patient's history for certain prescriptions reported both in-state and out-of-state pharmacies, officials said.
The integration of PMP data with EHRs will make it easier to detect patients who shop for doctors to gain access to opioid prescriptions, officials said. And improve performance, access and usability of the PMP, which will contain the data of over 18,000 providers and 400 pharmacies in Virginia by the end of 2017.
"The epidemic of opioid addiction is a public health emergency in Virginia, and combating it is a top priority for my administration," said Democratic Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe in a statement. "The Prescription Monitoring Program is a critical prevention tool that helps curb abuse of prescription medications, and I applaud this enhancement that makes the PMP easier and more likely for physicians to use."
"This upgrade of Virginia's prescription drug monitoring program will allow health providers and pharmacists to more effectively flag at-risk patients and curb prescription drug abuse as we fight against our commonwealth's opioid abuse epidemic," David Brown, Director of the Department of Health Professions.
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Email the writer: jessica.davis@himssmedia.com