The AMA recently reported that PDMP checks rose to 136m last year, and that’s a step in the right direction. But, using recent annual data, we had more than 900m patient encounters and over 4 billion prescriptions were filled. Even if we assume all 136m checks were by prescribers and not dispensers, this suggests only at most roughly 1 in 6 patients get checked. A patient’s controlled substance history contains important information and may be an early indicator of substance use disorder problems.

How often do you check?