Happy New Year from Southern Health Lawyers! Several changes to Georgia’s Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) were implemented in 2018. The New Year provides an opportunity for prescribers to verify they are compliant with all revisions to the PDMP.
Beginning July 1, 2018, all prescribers with a DEA number in Georgia were required to check the PDMP before prescribing opiates or cocaine derivatives listed in Schedule II drugs or benzodiazepines. Prior to July 1, 2018, Georgia prescribers were encouraged to check the PDMP before prescribing Schedule II drugs or benzodiazepines, but were not yet required to do so. Furthermore, a Georgia prescriber may register two delegates with the Georgia Department of Public Health (staff without a DEA number) per shift or rotation to check the PDMP and enter prescription information on behalf of the prescribers. All Georgia prescribers and their delegates must be separately registered with the Georgia Department of Public Health to access the PDMP.
Finally, as the New Year begins, Southern Health Lawyers encourages all Georgia prescribers with a DEA number verify:
· The prescriber or their delegate are making a notation in a patient’s medical record indicating that the PDMP was consulted. The notation should include the identity of the individual who conducted the PDMP patient search.
o If a prescriber or their delegate are unable to access a patient’s information in the PDMP, a notation should be made in the patient’s medical record. The notation should include the date, time, and the identity of the individual who was not able to access the patient’s information in the PDMP.
· When prescribing an opiate, opioid, opioid analgesic, or opioid derivative, the prescriber is providing the patient with information on the addictive risks of such medications and available options for safely disposing of any unused medications. A prescriber may provide this information to the patient in either verbal or written form.
· The prescriber is reporting all incidents of neonatal abstinence syndrome to the Georgia Department of Public Health.
If a prescriber or their delegate fails to check the PDMP as outlined above, the prescriber will be held administratively accountable to the Georgia Medical Composite Board.
If you have questions regarding the Georgia PDMP, please call (404) 806-5575 or email [email protected].