Pennsylvania PDMP Data-Driven Response

In 2020, drug overdose deaths reached 5,168 in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (PA), currently the second highest number in state history, and the fourth highest number in the United States. The age-adjusted drug overdose death rate also reached 42.4 deaths per 100,000, far exceeding the national average of 28.3 deaths per 100,000. Preliminary data indicates that the overdose epidemic continues to worsen in PA, with local data showing higher counts in 2021 than in 2020. Also, the drug overdose epidemic in Pennsylvania has had a disproportionate impact on communities of color. In 2021, although white persons account for most overdose deaths in the state, the overdose death rate among Black Pennsylvanians was more than double that of white Pennsylvanians.

PA aims to advance its PDMP by implementing initiatives to ensure data quality and integrity; create and enforce access rules that define under what circumstances certain data can be made available; identify the differences in the various PDMP procedures, rules, state regulations, capabilities, and policies to assist with role management and access; and produce data reports and analysis. PA will continue to improve upon the goals and objectives from previous BJA-funded projects by augmenting data improvement and analysis efforts and enhancing the PDMP system to allow for less burdensome role management and access to the PDMP.  

A multitude of substance misuse prevention and response initiatives across PA, as well as national efforts, rely on the PA PDMP data for the intelligent allocation of resources and tailoring public health interventions. State and national drug-related public policies are also formed based on PDMP data trends. The proposed activities will allow the PA PDMP to advance its analytical capacity to report PDMP data trends, while also streamlining PDMP access for non-prescriber and non-dispenser PDMP users; thereby, aiding in data-driven decision making.