Colorado’s Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) was created to tackle prescription drug misuse, abuse and diversion. The state has seen rates of use increase as the database continues to serve as an important tool for meeting the standard of care for safe prescribing. To get even more healthcare professionals to use the database, the Department of Regulatory Affairs (DORA) has improved the database to make use and navigation easier.
New Website
A new website was created to ensure easier navigation and information is relevant to users’ needs. Prescribers can link to their PDMP accounts and access other information directly from the homepage. DORA also has selected a new vendor, APPRISS, and will be using the PMP AWARxE system. The database interface will look different and make PDMP queries easier and quicker.
New State Law Improves Access to PDMP
To make the PDMP more accessible and easier for health professionals to incorporate into daily use, the Colorado General Assembly passed legislation in 2017. The law went into effect immediately. On April 6, 2017, Gov. John Hickenlooper signed SB17-146 Access To Prescription Drug Monitoring Program, which clarifies health professionals’ access to the PDMP database by:
- allowing a healthcare provider with prescribing authority to query the PDMP about a current patient, including checking on drug interactions and side effects, thus making the PDMP an even more useful tool for health professionals in their clinical decision-making for patients and
- allowing a pharmacist to query the PDMP about a current patient for whom the pharmacist is dispensing any prescription drug.
If you have questions about the Colorado PDMP, call 303-894-5957 or email pdmpinqr@state.co.us. If you need technical assistance with the PMP AWARxE system, call the vendor help desk at 855-263-6403.