Patterns of prescribing - the Rhode Island prescription monitoring program.

Drug overdose and abuse is a growing epidemic nationally and for Rhode Island. The Rhode Island Prescription Monitoring Program (PMP) is a web-based system that collects all schedule II and III prescription information for prescriptions dispensed in or into Rhode Island. The Rhode Island Board of Pharmacy at the Rhode Island Department of Health operates this program and uses the information for investigative purposes to curb drug overdose and professional misconduct.

How does use of a prescription monitoring program change pharmacy practice?

Objectives: To assess differences in prescription monitoring program (PMP) use between two states with different PMP accessibility (Connecticut [CT] and Rhode Island [RI]), to explore use of PMPs in pharmacy practice, and to examine associations between PMP use and pharmacists' responses to suspected diversion or "doctor shopping."

Design: Descriptive nonexperimental study.

Setting: CT and RI from March through August 2011.

How does use of a prescription monitoring program change medical practice?

Objectives:   The objectives of this study were to test for differences in prescription monitoring program (PMP) use between two states, Connecticut (CT) and Rhode Island (RI), with a different PMP accessibility; to explore use of PMP reports in clinical practice; and to examine associations between PMP use and clinician's responses to suspected diversion or "doctor shopping" (i.e., multiple prescriptions from multiple providers).