White House roundtable discussion: Health information technology can help curb Rx abuse

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The White House on Friday held a roundtable discussion with approximately two dozen leaders across the public safety, healthcare and technology sectors to address how health information technology can help limit prescription drug abuse, the National Community Pharmacists Association noted in a release on Monday.

The main focus was how data from prescription drug monitoring programs can better facilitate prescribing, be incorporated into pharmacies and be leveraged in emergency rooms, the association stated.

A White House report stated that during the past decade there was a 48% increase in filling narcotic drug prescriptions from 174 million to 257 million. In the past five years, emergency department visits caused by prescription drug abuse or misuse has doubled, NCPA added.