Study Recommends Training Community Pharmacists on Opioid Safety, Drug Monitoring Programs

Increased training of community pharmacists could help tackle the nation’s opioids addiction crisis, according to a review of the scientific literature published in the Journal of the American Pharmacists Association. The authors reviewed nearly a decade of published literature about prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs), which are state-specific electronic databases that contain regularly updated patient data for scheduled drugs, currently found in 49 states. The studies indicated that pharmacists face a number of challenges when dispensing opioids, including difficulty balancing their provider role with protecting the public from opioid abuse, insufficient collaboration and communication with physicians, inadequate education and training for discussions on substance use disorders safety, limited time and reimbursement for clinical time with patients, and fears of legal and ethical ramifications. PDMPs provide a potential avenue for pharmacists to engage patients and providers around opioid safety by facilitating patient counseling, monitoring for opioid safety risks, and potentially intervening to prevent misuse or abuse. Study authors found that PDMPs are not as widely known and integrated into pharmacists’ workflow as they could be. They recommended more training on how PDMPs can improve prescribing practices. Access the abstract.

2018 Jul 17. pii: S1544-3191(18)30240-1. doi: 10.1016/j.japh.2018.06.003. [Epub ahead of print]

Pharmacists' attitudes, knowledge, utilization, and outcomes involving prescription drug monitoring programs: A brief scoping review.

Johnston K, Alley L, Novak K, Haverly S, Irwin A, Hartung D.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

While literature on pharmacists' engagement with prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs) is growing, no formal synthesis of findings has been conducted to provide overarching recommendations for research or practice. The objective of this study was to identify and synthesize findings from current literature on community pharmacists' attitudes toward, knowledge of, and registration and utilization behaviors regarding PDMPs.

DATA SOURCES:

Electronic databases (MEDLINE, PsychINFO, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Google Scholar, and the Brandeis University PDMP Center of Excellence) and reference lists from relevant manuscripts were searched for relevant English-language manuscripts. Key words used in searches included pharmacist, prescription drug monitoring program, opioid safety, attitudes, knowledge, and utilization.

STUDY SELECTION:

Papers were included from January 1, 2008 up to October 6, 2017. Three authors independently screened articles for full text review; 2 authors independently conducted full text review for final study selection. Discrepancies were resolved through consensus.

DATA EXTRACTION:

Data were extracted to an evidence table, coded by topic category, and checked for accuracy.

RESULTS:

Fifteen manuscripts met inclusion criteria. The studies varied greatly in methodological approach. In general, pharmacists' attitudes and knowledge of PDMPs positively influenced likelihood to register and use their state's program. Targeted training had a substantial impact on knowledge, registration, and utilization.