NABP Developing System to Link Prescription Monitoring Programs Across States to Facilitate Data Exchange

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National Association of Boards of Pharmacy

Nov 16, 2010, 03:34 ET

MOUNT PROSPECT, Ill., Nov. 16, 2010 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In response to an expressed need by prescription monitoring program (PMP) administrators for a way to facilitate the sharing and exchanging of data among PMP systems, the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy® (NABP®) will be developing an interconnected communications hub for state PMPs. The "interconnect hub," which will be operational in nine months, will be made accessible to the states at little or no cost in order to help further the protection of the public health – a mission shared by the state boards of pharmacy and NABP.

Once the system is in place, authorized clients will log in to their PMP as usual and make requests for information from other participating PMPs through the interconnect hub 24 hours a day. The interconnect hub will facilitate the completion of the data request so that clients can quickly obtain the data they need to identify possible prescription drug abuse and diversion. The interconnect hub will also enforce each program's access rules to ensure only authorized and appropriate access to information.

Used only to facilitate the communications process, the interconnect hub will retain no prescription data and all PMP data will remain resident with the PMP. In addition, the interconnect hub will be housed in highly secure facilities, to maintain the confidentiality of this sensitive information.

The development of this interconnect hub is supported by a 2009 NABP task force, which studied PMPs and recommended that NABP work with the state boards of pharmacy, PMPs, pharmacists, prescribers, and other interested stakeholders to ensure that PMPs serve two critical purposes:

assist pharmacists and prescribers in assessing patient information and providing appropriate patient care; and
assist law enforcement efforts in identifying and acting in instances of drug abuse and diversion.

NABP is following the direction of that task force and is excited to collaborate with all agencies and organizations that have successfully developed and implemented, or are in the process of implementing, a state PMP. The interconnect hub under development by NABP will continue these efforts and assist the states in addressing the interoperability and data sharing challenges now faced as PMPs become operational across the country.

NABP is the independent, international, and impartial Association that assists its member boards and jurisdictions in developing, implementing, and enforcing uniform standards for the purpose of protecting the public health.

SOURCE National Association of Boards of Pharmacy