Optimization of Prescription Drug Monitoring Program to Overcome Opioid Epidemic in West Virginia

The development of the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) led to an innovation in the healthcare organization system (HCOs). The PDMP system has been utilized in different states at various organizational levels in an effort to achieve improved health outcomes, reduce the number of prescription drug overdoses, and lighten the economic burden that follows. However, during the implementation of PDMP, there were several barriers and limitations that were discovered. Those barriers impeded the process of utilization of PDMP, such as the complex user interface and lack of training for healthcare providers. The purpose of this paper was to examine the advances and limitations in the utilization and implementation of PDMP in the US healthcare industry and develop strategies for effective use of PDMP in West Virginia. The qualitative part of this paper was a literature review. The paper referred to several peer-reviewed studies and research articles from several reliable resources, which were reached by databases or Google Scholar. A total of 44 articles were reviewed for this study. The implementation of the PDMP was influenced by benefits and barriers. This article reviewed several studies in general that demonstrated positive outcomes from the implementation of PDMP, including a reduced number of prescription drug overdoses, coordinated care for patients, and improved health outcomes. However, the barriers and limitations were not neglected, which mainly include integration of PDMP into the electronic health record (EHR) system, lack of training for the providers, and lack of basic standards for the use of PDMP. Although the new health reforms encouraged the adaption of PDMP among providers, data reporting and data interpretation still remain major concerns for assessing the health outcomes of PDMP implementation.