The Florida PDMP Foundation, Inc.

In the 2023 calendar year, the Florida PDMP Foundation continues to be an active force in support of the State of Florida Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (E-FORCSE® — the Electronic-Florida Online Reporting of Controlled Substances Evaluation). In 2009, the foundation was established by the legislature as a non-profit, tax-exempt Direct Support Organization (DSO) to the Florida Department of Health (FDOH). Its initial mission was to direct fund-raising programs to support the PDMP database operations. A nine-member board of directors appointed by the State Surgeon General oversees foundation operations.

The PDMP database operation is managed by the FDOH E-FORCSE® staff. Its yearly operating budget is funded by general revenue allocations by the legislature, federal and state grants, and supplemental funds from the PDMP Foundation.

Since its inception the PDMP Foundation has raised over $3.5M in funds in support of the state PDMP. A major portion of these funds were from a restricted contribution from the Attorney General’s Office of $1.973M received in 2014. Other major gifts came from law enforcement agency asset forfeiture funds, corporations, and private donations.

In 2017, the foundation entered into an agreement with the Attorney General to use the restricted funds to support E-FORCSE® staff outreach and education programs for those prescribers and dispensers of controlled substances and their delegates authorized to register and have access to the PDMP database patient information. These funds allowed PDMP Foundation and E-FORCSE® staff to be present at state and regional conferences and trade shows to provide attendees with information on database operations. Funds are also allocated for the development and distribution of information about database use and presentations at heath care and law enforcement association meetings.

From 2020 – 2023 the foundation also contracted with the Department to develop, produce, and present educational webinars and peer-to-peer training courses funded through the Federal Center for Disease Control and Prevention Overdose Data to Action (OD2A) grant. The main objective of the grant was to fund projects and programs to address the country’s Opioid Epidemic. The grant funds were distributed to over 60 national jurisdictions which included state, county, and U.S. territories. In Florida, three county health departments in Palm Beach, Duval and Broward counties were pilot programs.

As part of the OD2A grant the PDMP Foundation manages the peer-to-peer training program for all health care practitioners registered to use the PDMP database. The foundation is charged with the development and an implementation of a live and on-line course titled “Improving Best Practices for Patient Care: Optimizing the Use of the PDMP Database.”

The PDMP Foundation will continue to provide outreach and education programs during the next fiscal year. New peer-to-peer courses will be developed to provide updated information to health care practitioners who prescribe and dispense controlled substances on the operation of the state’s prescription drug monitoring program.

The ultimate goal of the PDMP Foundation’s efforts as a DSO to the Department of Health and E-FORCSE® is to decrease prescription drug-controlled substance fraud, abuse and diversion. Through the foundation’s financial support in support of the PDMP database operations, Florida has reduced doctor shopping by 90% in the state.