Helping Behavioral Health Care Provides Make Effective Use of Health IT
The ONC Behavioral Health Initiative combines programs and resources that help providers make effective use of health IT. These include a clinical quality measures workgroup for meaningful use criteria, data exchange efforts, and a prescription drug monitoring programs.
Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs (PDMP) – Enhancing access to prescription drug monitoring programs through the use of health IT.
This project is managed by the ONC in collaboration with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Office of National Drug Control Policy. The goal is to increase timely access to PDMP data in turn reducing prescription drug misuses and overdoses. The project has two parts.
- Work groups will develop and recommend the standards and policies necessary to carry out the pilot projects.
- Pilot studies will test the feasibility of leveraging health information technology and health information exchanges to improve timely access to PDMP data.
The workgroup members include stakeholders from healthcare community, industry, trade and advocacy groups, and state and federal government. Through the workgroups efforts and meetings they have “developed recommendations and products that will increase the usefulness and availability of PDMP information”.
Join the ONC tomorrow, Thursday, October 11th at 1pm ET for a webinar on the Workgroup Recommendations for the Enhancing Access to Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs project. Space is limited and you must register to attend. After registering you will receive email confirmation and instructions. A report of these recommendations and is currently under review with the Federal sponsors. This document will be released once it is approved.
Resourse Links
- HHS press release on the health IT effort aimed at reducing prescription drug abuse.
- ONC’s Behavioral Health Initiative – learn more on HealthIT.gov
- Action Plan for improving access to prescription drug monitoring programs through Health IT.
- Presentation on workgroup’s finding.