Physician perspectives on a pilot prescription monitoring program

In 2003, during implementation of a pilot electronic prescription monitoring program in southwest Virginia, a survey was mailed to 672 physicians to learn about their knowledge of and attitudes toward the program and its impact on their opioid prescribing behaviors. A total of 275 surveys were returned yielding a response rate of 41%. Less than one-half had previously heard about the prescription monitoring program. Nearly 60% believed their prescribing behaviors were being monitored more closely as a result of the program; of these, 23% reported that this had a negative impact on their ability to help patients manage their pain. Sixty-eight percent reported that the prescription monitoring program was useful for monitoring patients' prescription histories and decreasing doctor shopping; however, only 11% had requested information from the prescription monitoring program database, primarily due to access barriers. Recommendations include education to increase physician awareness of and utilization of the program and to address their concerns about scrutiny of practice and collection of relevant data that examines the impact of the program on diversion, abuse, and quality of patient care for persons in pain.