Effectiveness of Prescription Monitoring Programs in Reducing Opioid Prescribing, Dispensing, and Use Outcomes: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Prescription monitoring programs (PMPs) house and monitor data about the prescribing practices of health care providers, as well as medications received by patients. PMPs aim to promote the appropriate use of prescription opioids by providing this information to prescribers and dispensers. Our objective in this systematic review was to comprehensively identify and assess the available evidence about the impact of PMPs on opioid prescribing and dispensing, multiple provider use for obtaining opioids, inappropriate opioid prescribing, and the extent of nonmedical prescription opioid use. We used a comprehensive search strategy and included study designs that could determine changes in outcomes with the implementation of a PMP. We included 24 studies; 75% of studies were conducted in the United States, and studies encompassed data years from 1993 to 2014. Overall, we did not find evidence to support an association between PMPs and decreased opioid prescribing and dispensing. We found limited, but inconsistent, evidence that PMPs were associated with reduced schedule II opioid prescribing and dispensing, as well as multiple provider use. Covariate adjustment was often inadequate in analyses, as was the timing of outcome and PMP measurement. Future studies should broaden their geographic scope to other countries and use more recent data with standard measurement. PERSPECTIVE: This systematic review aimed to determine the effectiveness of PMPs in changing prescribing practices and prescription opioid use. The findings from this review will inform policymakers and PMP administrators about the current state of the evidence on program effectiveness.

Keywords: Prescription monitoring programs; drug diversion; evaluation; opioids; prescription drugs.