04/12/2017

LARA Launches New Prescription Database

Revamped Reporting System Intended to Identify Opioid Abuse

http://www.michigan.gov/lara/0,4601,7-154--409144--,00.html – Press Release

 The Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs announced Tuesday the launch of a new Michigan Automated Prescription System to replace the old system that Governor Rick Snyder's Prescription Drug and Opioid Abuse Task Force identified as problematic.

The replaced system is just one of several key recommendations in the Task Force's June 2015 report, which also includes the now-established Prescription Drug and Opioid Abuse Commission as well as legislative work to combat the opioid abuse epidemic in Michigan.

"Replacing the outdated MAPS is central in our fight against the opioid epidemic that has been so tragic for Michigan families," Lt. Governor Brian Calley, the Task Force chair, said in a statement. "The modern system gives prescribers and dispensers state-of-the-art tools to make more informed decisions, intervene earlier and spend additional time with patients and customers."

Indeed, the new MAPS provides the state's prescribers with a user-friendly portal, LARA said, making it more efficient for practitioners to obtain information of controlled substances and Schedule 2-5 drugs that have been dispensed. Prescribers include dentists, physicians (MD, DO), physician assistants, podiatrists, optometrists, veterinarians and advanced practice registered nurses under delegation.

Other benefits of the new MAPS include:

• Faster response time, as record lookups that once took up to 10 minutes now are completed in seconds;
• A dashboard providing patient alerts, recent request history and the ability to maintain delegate user activity within the prescriber's main account;
• Patient report requests including prescription history, prescriber and dispenser information that can all be provided in a complete summary;
• Real-time data uploads occur during the day versus the current process of batched data uploaded nightly; and
• Online tutorials for first-time users.

Specifically, it is Appriss Health's PMP AWARxE that is replacing the old system, made possible through a $2.47 million appropriation from the Legislature to begin efforts, as well as another $2.02 million for ongoing maintenance and support of the new system.