MIRAMAR, FL –This week Florida launched a powerful new tool to keep patients safe from dangerous drug interactions and fight prescription drug abuse. E-FORCSE, (Electronic Florida Online Reporting of Controlled Substances Evaluation program) went live, giving physicians, pharmacists and dispensers access to the prescription drug history of Florida patients.
E-FORCSE is the State’s new electronic database of specific controlled substance prescriptions, which has been collecting records since Sept. 1. Currently, 5,219 dispensers have uploaded more than 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.
“More than seven Floridians die a day due to prescription drug overdose,” said Attorney General Pam Bondi. “The launch of the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program will allow doctors and pharmacies to prevent doctor-shopping and over-prescribing of highly addictive pain medication. Today marks another step forward in Florida’s fight against prescription drug abuse.”
The Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) database was passed into law during the 2009 legislative session in an effort to abate prescription drug abuse in Florida – which at the time had become the hot bed for oxycodone abuse nationwide. Through generous donations from companies like Automated HealthCare Solutions, Aegis PainComp® Testing Services, Millennium Laboratories™ and private citizens and law enforcement agencies, the database was launched in 2010. For a list of sponsors visit www.FLPDMPFoundation.com.
“On behalf of the members of the Florida PDMP Foundation, we are pleased to see so many physicians and pharmacists are already using this lifesaving database,” said Dave Bowen, chairman of the Florida PDMP Foundation and president, Automated HealthCare Solutions. “This database is aimed at cracking down on prescription drug abuse and making sure medication gets into the hands of the people who truly need it while keeping it away from the bad actors who have been abusing the system.”
The database will track controlled substance prescriptions as defined in section 893.03, F.S. that are filled in Florida, capturing the name and dosage of the controlled substance, where it was filled and who wrote the prescription. Physicians, pharmacists and dispensers can use the database to determine what medications are in the best interests of a patient and to guard against “doctor shopping” – illegally seeking a prescription from multiple physicians.
The Florida PDMP Foundation, Inc. and the Florida Department of Health (DOH) reminded prescribers, dispensers and practitioners, that access to the database started this week.
“The severity of prescription drug abuse in Florida cannot be overstated and utilizing this database is one tool that will aid us in winning this battle,” said Florida Surgeon General, Dr. Frank Farmer. “The Department of Health is committed to working with our local and state partners to protect the health of all residents and visitors in Florida with the common goal of stopping countless, senseless deaths.”
Business leaders, law enforcement officials and other members of the community serve on the Florida PDMP Foundation board, which is a non-profit organization that works to save lives by raising awareness and funds to implement Florida’s PDMP.
“When pain clinics began to outnumber McDonalds and Starbucks in Broward County we knew it was high time to get a handle on the pill pushers,” said Broward County Sheriff Al Lamberti, one of Florida’s PDMP board members. “We weren’t accustomed to seeing drug dealers in lab coats, working out of shopping centers, but that’s what we had. The PDMP is already yielding positive results and we will continue to monitor its progress along with state and federal authorities.”
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.