Access to Prescription Drug Monitoring Program

The Florida Department of Health (DOH) today reminds prescribers, dispensers and practitioners that on Monday, October 17, 2011, access to the Florida's Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP), known as E-FORCSE, began.

Since October 1, 2011, prescribers and dispensers have been able to request access to the electronic FL RxSentry® database. The FL RxSentry® database is a comprehensive database system for the reporting of controlled substance prescriptions that provides prescription information to a patient’s health care practitioner and pharmacist upon informing the department they would like a patient advisory report (PAR) provided to them.

On October 17, prescribers and dispensers may begin logging on to the FL RxSentry® database to request patient advisory reports (PARs). PARs are reports of patients’ controlled substance prescription histories provided by the FL RxSentry® database. PARs may assist health care practitioners in determining if a patient is “doctor shopping” or trying to obtain multiple prescriptions for controlled substances from multiple health care practitioners -- a felony in the State of Florida. PARs are for informational purposes only and impose no obligations of any nature or any legal duty on a prescriber, dispenser, pharmacy, or patient. PARs are not subject to discovery or introduction into evidence in any civil or administrative action against a prescriber, dispenser, pharmacy, or patient arising out of matters that are the subject of the report.

“Health care practitioners are not required to access the database prior to prescribing or dispensing a controlled substance,” said PDMP Manager Rebecca Poston, BPharm, RPh. “However, as a health care practitioner myself, I encourage physicians and pharmacists to use the Patient Advisory Report available in RxSentry® as a tool to improve patient care, confirm the patient’s prescription drug history, document compliance with a therapeutic regimen, and to identify potentially hazardous or fatal drug interactions”.

Currently, 5,219 dispensers have uploaded over 15 million controlled substance prescription records into the database. In addition, 1,500 health care practitioners have requested access to view their specific patient’s information stored in the database.

E-FORCSE is compliant with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) as it pertains to protected health information (PHI), electronic protected health information (EPHI), and all other relevant state and federal privacy and security laws and regulations. The information collected in the system will be used by the PDMP to encourage safer prescribing of controlled substances and reduce drug abuse and diversion within the State of Florida. More information about E-FORCSE can be found at http://www.doh.state.fl.us/mqa/PDMP/home.html.

Erika L. Marshall l E-FORCSE Florida's Prescription Drug Monitoring Program l Program Operations Administrator l 4052 Bald Cypress Way, Bin C-16, Tallahassee, FL 32399 l Phone: 850-245-4797 l Fax: 850-617-6430 l Email: Erika_Marshall@doh.state.fl.us l www.e-forcse.com

Please note:  Florida has a very broad public records law. Most written communications to or from state officials  regarding state  business are  public records  available  to  the  public  and media upon request. Your e-mail communications  may therefore be subject to public disclosure.

Mission:  To protect and promote the health of all residents and visitors in the state through organized state and community efforts, including cooperative agreements with counties.

Vision:  A healthier future for the people of Florida.