The Minnesota Prescription Monitoring Program- Simplifying access and improving quality of data to authorized account holders and expanding secure access across borders.

Minnesota Board of Pharmacy

Project Abstract

In Minnesota the opioid epidemic has affected every age, gender, geography, and culture, but not equally! The highest drug overdose rates have moved to younger age groups.  Rural communities are being more heavily effected than urban, and in Minnesota, American Indians are 7 times more likely to die from a drug overdose as whites. Minnesota had an increase in overdose deaths of 20% from 2018 to 2019 (636 to 761). Additionally, preliminary 2020 data shows drug overdose deaths increased 31% more during the first half of 2020 as compared to the first half of 2019 per data released by Minnesota Department of Health (MDH)[1].

The Board of Pharmacy is requesting assistance to continue to work to improve upon and expedite access to our Prescription Monitoring Program (PMP).

Integrating access to a MN PMP history report through a provider’s electronic health system (EHR) or pharmacy dispensing software (PDS) has shown to significantly increased utilization of the PMP, thereby increasing provider awareness of controlled substance history. The program has initiated an integration effort by providing funding for  a statewide license for such a solution.  We are excited to keep this effort going!

Through marketing and outreach efforts, we plan to increase the number of healthcare entities and providers with access to the integrated solution to 60% of MN prescribers and 40% of pharmacies dispensing in MN. Increasing efficiency of access will increase utilization and assist towards our goal of increasing patient history searches by at least 10% every year.

Providing the data more efficiently is not enough! The MN PMP wishes to build upon our current compliance in reporting, error correction, and data integrity processes. 

The program expects daily reporting, error resolution within 7 days, and the reporting of error free data.  We would like to have resources available to hold dispensers responsible for these requirements and contact them with education and assistance if not; resulting in the highest integrity of data being presented.

Learning and strategizing with colleagues and stakeholders is the key to our past and future successes. These strategies and sharing of processes will increase utilization of the PMP, and therefore decrease patient risk and increase patient safety in Minnesota as well as other jurisdictions.