AZZLY Rize’s DrFirst Integrated Tool Allows You To Access State PDMP Data In The E-Prescribing Workflow

AZZLY Rize’s DrFirst Integrated Tool Allows You to Access State PDMP Data in the E-Prescribing Workflow

AZZLY® partner DrFirst announced recently that their Electronic Prescribing of Controlled Substances (EPCS) system EPCS Gold now includes integrated availability of state PDMP (Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs) systems.

When E-Prescribing, clinicians can save time by viewing patients’ PDMP drug history directly in the EMR workflow without having to access a separate system.

As an integrated part of AZZLY Rize™, DrFirst’s EPCS Gold is one more feature that makes Rize an all-in-one behavioral health solution.

Requirement of PDMPs in the Fight Against Opioids

As the opioid epidemic in the United States persists, with over 40,000 opioid-related deaths last year, treatment centers and legislators alike are looking toward new methods to curb substance use disorders (SUDs). For example, medication-assisted treatment (MAT) has taken off as a leading treatment method, with the U.S. Senate providing grants for Medicare/Medicaid coverage of MAT in the 2018 Opioid Crisis Response Act.

Legislators have also turned to Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs (PDMPs) to address SUDs. PDMPs are government-run databases created at the state level to “collect, monitor, and analyze electronically transmitted prescribing and dispensing data submitted by pharmacies and dispensing practitioners.”

As of October 2018, 49 states have PDMPs (Missouri is the lone holdout), and 39 states require prescribers to consult them to view a patient’s drug history before prescribing addictive opioids.

How DrFirst’s Integrated Access to PDMPs Benefits Clinicians

PDMPs are a highly effective tool for reducing prescription drug abuse and diversion. Yet, DrFirst estimates it takes 4.6 minutes for prescribers to check a patient’s PDMP history with the PDMP out of the workflow. With it integrated into the EPCS, it takes roughly a third of this time.

PDMP in Workflow Access allows users to access PDMP patient data directly in the workflow, without having to exit their eRx workflow and open a third party software or website. Plus, in the event of an audit, all documentation is stored and available for reporting.

Adding PDMP in Workflow Access with DrFirst’s EPCS Gold doesn’t require any development work. Users simply need to fill out some brief paperwork and their state PDMP data will be available in their E-Prescribing workflow.

AZZLY has been a preferred partner of DrFirst for over six years, and EPCS Gold is the integrated eRx software of our all-in-one solution AZZLY Rize. To learn more about AZZLY Rize’s eRx, medication management, and PDMP features, visit azzly.com/medication-management.

Not sure about your state’s PDMP laws? Visit the page to access a free state-by-state breakdown. For a free, guided demonstration of the AZZLY Rize EMR with one of our experts, click here to schedule a time.