​

 

​

Background

The PDMP Use Mandate applies to both controlled substances (CS) prescribers and pharmacists. Effective July 1, 2018, a  Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) use mandate for providers prescribing CS medications and pharmacists went into effect. The full text of the use mandate can be found in Health General-Article § 21-2A-04.2​​​. ​

​​Effective use of the PDMP as a clinical decision support tool–both under the use mandate and as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the President's Opioid Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis, and the Maryland Heroin and Opioid Emergency Task Force–relies on integrating PDMP data access. To support adoption, the following tools have been put in place:

• Use of Delegates: Delegates can access the PDMP on behalf of a prescriber or pharmacist and provide the PDMP data report to the provider to inform a prescribing or dispensing decision.
• Integration into Electronic Health Records (EHRs): Many hospital systems across Maryland now offer PDMP access within their EHR, making it easier to use PDMP data in real-time clinical workflows across many hospital system setting

​The requirements and exemptions of this mandate are summarized below, organized by profession.