Patient and provider safety is paramount when it comes to prescribing controlled substances. To ensure prescribing is safe and secure, NextGen EHR provides two features that assist with this - ePCS and PDMP.

ePCS

ePCS stands for e-Prescribing Controlled Substances. ePCS allows for prescribers to send prescriptions for controlled substances via e-Rx without the need to print and sign prescriptions. This function assists practices with drug diversion and substance abuse prevention. 

As a security feature, another provider with a DEA number must authenticate the enrollee at the time of enrollment. In addition, providers must use two-factor authentication to prescribe and transmit controlled substances. Some common ways of doing so include using a smart phone app such as Symantec VIP or by purchasing different types of tokens from Verisign.

PDMP

PDMP refers to Prescription Drug Monitoring Program, which is an electronic database that tracks controlled substance prescriptions. The PDMP was implemented to meet the regulatory requirements of states that mandate prescribers to view a patient's prescription drug monitoring report prior to prescribing controlled substances by acting as a gateway to your state's Rx reporting system. The technology checks state records for controlled substances prescribed by multiple providers for one patient, in turn increasing patient health and safety. 

NextGen has recently partnered with Appriss Health to integrate their prescription monitoring and tracking solution into the EHR. The Appriss Health PMP Gateway is live in 30 states across the country and provides access to pharmacy reporting with secure accessibility to data across state lines as applicable. NextGen is fully integrated with Appriss Health, however there could be a cost if your state does not fund this program. It is recommended that NextGen users check with their respective states to find out whether the state funds this integration. If the state does not fund the integration, the provider or practice will need to contract with Appriss directly. It is also important to note that all users must register with Appriss in order to access data in their NextGen environment. 

How does the PDMP work?

The PDMP report will automatically generate when:

• a refill request is received in the inbox and the user selects accept
• a refill request is received in the inbox and the user selects approve refill
• an unmatched refill task is received in the inbox and the user matches the patient

The following settings may be enabled at the practice level as well:

• generate PDMP report automatically upon encounter creation
• generate PDMP report automatically upon opening the Medication Module
• require prescribers to access the PDMP report before prescribing controlled substances

Due to patient data regulations, reports may be viewed, but they are prohibited from being saved to the patient encounter or chart. The PDMP report is updated once every 24 hours. Once generated, users can review the report as many times as needed, but the data will remain the same.

By utilizing ePCS and PDMP, practices can ensure that controlled substances are being used correctly and safely. Once set up, these functions are easy to use and prescribing will be faster, more secure, and safer than ever before.