DrFirst, an e-prescribing and medication management solutions company, has issued its response to the President’s Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis, which recently issued a report with recommendations. With the added gravity of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announcing that life expectancy has fallen for the second year in a row as opioid-related deaths have surged, the company offers its support in dealing with the national crisis.
The public health advocacy group Trust for America’s Health found that overdose rates rose between 2015 and 2016 in 40 states and in Washington, D.C., and 17 states experienced an increase of 25% or more, making this a true national concern. In combating this crisis, DrFirst believes a combined effort to prevent addiction, while identifying and treating those who are addicted, is required.
Technology should play a key role in the prevention of opioid abuse. By using technology to close data visibility gaps, physicians are better armed to identify patients at risk, as well as spot patients who are already suffering from addiction so that they can find the appropriate treatment. DrFirst’s findings and recommendations include: Prescription drug monitoring programs, electronic prescribing of controlled substances, prescribing mandates, and PDMP reporting of naloxone administration.
