The National Institute on Drug Abuse has recently issued a report on COVID 19, The report looks at potential impacts of the virus upon those with substance use disorders (SUD). The author notes that because it attacks the lungs, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 could be an especially serious threat to those with underlying respiratory or pulmonary issues.
Covid 19 image credit: CDC/ Alissa Eckert, MS; Dan Higgins, MAMS
The article describes the nature of SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID 19) and various co-conditions which can worsen the prognosis of affected patients.
The author also cites other risks for people with substance use disorders, and contains links to detailed articles and videos which are relevant to the FLPDMP Foundation, and E-FORCSE missions.
The article was open for commenting at the time of publication and can be viewed in its entirety here.
MHS Heat Map, Courtesy of www.health.mil
Florida’s Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) is now sharing prescription drug data with the nation’s Military Health System (MHS) PDMP, thanks to a new law that went into effect on July 1, 2019.
The Military Health System participates in state PDMPs by reporting information related to Schedule II-V medications dispensed to military members and their dependents, but has been unable to share certain information due to challenges with differing data reporting requirements in each state. Now, through cooperation with health systems integrator Appriss Health and the Florida legislature, those challenges have been met in Florida.
Florida legislators Rep. Cary Pigman R-55 and Sen. Ben Albritton R-26 co-sponsored Florida House Bill-375, which made the change to the PDMP statutes to authorize the Florida Department of Health to share PDMP data with the MHS.
“Florida has the fifth largest population of active and reserve members of the military in the nation, currently numbering more than 92,000,” said Pigman, an emergency medicine physician, a physician in the Army Reserve and vice chairman of the House of Representatives Health & Human Services Committee. “With more than 100,000 healthcare providers in Florida using E-FORCSE, the ability to search the Military Health System PDMP will help protect and save more lives.”
With the addition of Florida, the MHS PDMP is now sharing critical PDMP data and analytics with 39 PDMPs throughout the United States and U.S. territories. Additionally, E-FORCSE currently shares PDMP data across state lines with 17 PDMPs.
For more details, see the full press release.
We recently received an update from Michael Ayotte R.Ph., Vice President of State and Local Government Affairs for CVS Health in Washington DC.
As you know from our recent post, CVS is leading the way as a corporate PDMP partner with programs that help further the effectiveness of the FLPDMP Foundation and its sister organizations throughout the US.
We now have the CVS Health Program [PDF] available for public review. Of special note are the results of the CVS Drug Take Back Program, which places at no cost drug “take-back” containers in local police stations. There are 21 active units in Florida and to date they have returned over 2 metric tons of expired medications to date.
CVS is also making great progress with their Pharmacist Teach Program. The program utilizes CVS pharmacists as a community resource to visit elementary and high schools. There, they present a drug education and awareness program created by one of our national partners. In Florida we have done 355 presentations impacting over 13K students.
Mr. Ayotte echoes our appreciation when he states that, “CVS is proud to be one of the many companies investing resources to serve the communities we are part of.”
Report from The Pew Charitable Trusts and Brandeis University
A report by The Pew Charitable Trusts and Brandeis University, is now available to the public.
The attached report describes eight evidence based practices aimed at increasing prescriber utilization of Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs, perspectives on implementation, the current status of adoption, and detailed case studies describing implementation of those practices.
Florida’s PDMP is recognized in the report for its prescriber outreach to increase enrollment and use, unsolicited reporting, educational and promotional initiatives, as well as our overall effect on prescription overdose deaths.
Special Thanks to:
Rebecca R. Poston – Program Director
E-FORCSE | FLORIDA’S PRESCRIPTION DRUG MONITORING PROGRAM