Evaluation of Australian prescription drug monitoring programs need a holistic approach
Sarah Haines A C and Pallavi Prathivadi BA Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, Monash University, Vic., Australia.
B Department of General Practice and Monash Addiction Research Centre, Monash University, Vic., Australia.
C Corresponding author. Email: sarah.haines@monash.edu
Australian Journal of Primary Health 27(5) 354-356 https://doi.org/10.1071/PY20296
Submitted: 15 January 2021 Accepted: 20 May 2021 Published: 11 October 2021
Abstract
Prescription opioid-related mortality is increasing in Australia. Real-time Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs (PDMPs) have recently been implemented as a strategy to reduce opioid-related harm. PDMPs enable prescribers and dispensers to view patients’ prescription history before writing or dispensing a high-risk medication. This article considers the complexity of accurately evaluating PDMP effectiveness. To ensure sustainable implementation of these systems in Australia, a wide range of outcomes need to be measured. These include any unintended consequences and impacts on comprehensive patient care. Furthermore, intervention evaluation may be disrupted by concurrent interventions, limited methodologies and the shortcomings of the current approach.
Keywords: prescription opioids, public health, prescription monitoring.
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