Prescription Drug Monitoring : States Can Readily Identify Illegal Sales and Use of Controlled Substances: HRD-92-115
Overview
Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO provided information on state prescription drug monitoring programs, focusing on: (1) program benefits to investigations and their effectiveness in detecting and reducing drug diversion; (2) whether savings have resulted from reductions in Medicaid prescription drug claims; and (3) adverse effects on medical practice and patient care.
GAO found that: (1) prescription drug monitoring programs save investigators time, improve productivity, and allow identification of potential cases of drug diversion; (2) 5 of 10 states showed a reduction in the number of prescriptions due to reduced diversion or changes in physician prescribing practices; (3) states claim that prescription drug monitoring programs increase the efficiency of law enforcement operations and result in greater disciplinary action; (4) New York and Michigan estimated Medicaid cost savings at $27 million and $440,000, respectively, but a lack of complete data hampers Medicaid savings estimates and program tracking; (5) opponents believe that programs result in less effective drug prescription, compromise patient confidentiality, and change physicians' prescribing practices; and (6) three states utilize electronic transmission systems, which are viewed as less burdensome and less intrusive than multi-copy prescription form programs.
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Details
- ISBN-13: 9781289018474
- ISBN-10: 1289018472
- Publisher: Bibliogov
- Publish Date: June 2013
- Dimensions: 9.69 x 7.44 x 0.05 inches
- Shipping Weight: 0.14 pounds
- Page Count: 24
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