Unsolicited reporting notifications (URNs) through Maryland's prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP): Characteristics of providers.

Unsolicited reporting is the activity of analyzing Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) data and then sending unsolicited reporting notifications (URNs) to prescribers to notify them of their outlier prescribing behavior. We aimed to describe information about prescribers who were issued URNs. A retrospective study of Maryland's PDMP data from Jan.2018-Apr.2021. All providers who were issued ≥ one URN were included in analyses. We summarized data on types of URNs issued by provider type and years in practice using basic descriptive measures. We also performed logistic regression analysis to provide odds ratio and estimated marginal probability of issuing ≥ one URN to providers in the Maryland health care workforce in comparison with physicians as reference group. A total of 4,446 URNs were issued to 2,750 unique providers. Odds ratio (OR) and the population estimated probability of issuing URNs were higher among nurse practitioners [OR: 1.42, 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 1.26-1.59] followed by physician assistants [OR: 1.87, 95% CI: 1.69-2.08], compared to physicians. Physicians and dentists with >10 years in practice comprised the majority of providers who were issued URNs (65.1% and 62.6%, respectively), while majority of nurse practitioners had been in practice for <10 years (75.8%). Findings indicate a higher probability of issuing URN for Maryland's physician assistants and nurse practitioners, compared to physicians, and an overrepresentation of physicians and dentists with longer and nurse practitioners with shorter practice experience. The study suggests education programs on safer prescribing practices and management of opioids should target certain types of providers.

Informations de copyright

© 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V.

Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts

Anna Gribble was the Provider Engagement and Policy Manager with the Maryland Department of Health (MDH) at the time of analysis the data and drafting the report. She worked in the Office of Provider Engagement and Regulation (OPER) and she was responsible for PDMP programmatic activities and policies. Lindsey Goddard is an Epidemiologist. She also works in the Office of Provider Engagement and Regulation (OPER) and she is responsible for data analysis and management for the PDMP. Her staff time was supported by the Maryland Overdose Data to Action Cooperative Agreement from CDC and FY 2020 Harold Rogers Grant, DOJ, BJA. Dr. Park is funded by the COBRE on Opioids and Overdose (P20GM125507) from the NIH and serves as a technical consultant for the Food and Drug Administration (U01FD00745501). All other authors have no competing interest to declare.