Washington News: Department of Health Prepares to Implement Prescription Monitoring Program

October 1, 2008 3:44 PM Topics: Prescription monitoring program

Published in the October 2008 Washington State Board of Pharmacy Newsletter

The Department of Health (DOH) was given funding to create a Prescription Monitoring Program. The program’s purpose is to identify and stop prescription drug misuse by collecting all the records for Schedule II, III, IV, and V drugs. DOH is planning on beginning data collection on July 1, 2009.

 Data from the program will be available to patients, practitioners, dispensers, law enforcement, licensing boards, Department of Labor and Industries, Department of Corrections, and the Department of Health and Human Services. Certain data can also be given for research and education. You can look at RCW 70.225 for further information on access.

DOH has scheduled several stakeholder meetings throughout the state during the month of October. Details on the rule development process and the meeting schedule are on our Web site: www.doh.wa.gov/hsqa/pmp/pmp.htm. We invite you to join us in rule development. Anyone is welcome to join our Listserv and participate in our rules process.