How often should a prescription monitoring program be queried when continuing a patient on opioid therapy?

Querying a prescription monitoring program (PMP) every three months when continuing a patient on opioid therapy is recommended to ensure ongoing patient safety and proper management of opioid use. This frequency allows healthcare providers to monitor a patient’s prescription history attentively, which is crucial for identifying any potential misuse, over-prescription, or interactions with other medications.

Such regular checks help to maintain safe prescribing practices, particularly because opioid use can lead to issues such as addiction or dependency. By reviewing the PMP data every three months, practitioners can ascertain whether patients are adhering to their prescribed treatment plan and whether they are obtaining other prescriptions that may be concerning.

This interval strikes a balance between remaining vigilant about the patient’s medication use and not overburdening the healthcare provider with unnecessary checks that might reduce efficiency. Other suggested intervals, like every month, could lead to inefficiency and overload without providing significant additional benefit, while much longer intervals, such as every six months or annually, may leave gaps in monitoring during which patients could develop issues related to opioid use.