Update June 19:
Initially, all Texas prescribers had until Sept. 1 to set up a PMP Aware account. However, thanks to TMA advocacy, lawmakers recently passed a bill that pushed back that deadline to March 1, 2020. House Bill 3284 – by Rep. J.D. Sheffield, DO (R-Gatesville) – was signed by Gov. Greg Abbott on June 14.
Original story:
If you don't yet have a user account set up with the state's prescription monitoring program (PMP), known as PMP Aware, now is a good time to get it done.
A PMP Aware account allows physicians to check a patient's prescription history for information that indicates illicit activity, drug abuse, drug diversion, and doctor-shopping. It also allows you to receive notifications from the PMP system when it finds evidence of those shady practices.
The Texas State Board of Pharmacy (TSBP) creates each account automatically, based on information it receives from state prescriber-overseeing boards such as the Texas Medical Board. However, each prescriber must manually finalize his or her user account.
The pharmacy board sent an email to prescribers Jan. 10 that included information on how to finalize their PMP Aware account. However, the link in that email has expired, so physicians need to go directly to the PMP to register, said B.J. Slack, PMP manager for the board.
A PMP Aware account also will allow you to comply with a law that was passed during last year’s legislative session.
House Bill 2561 ― the TSBP sunset bill ― mandated that beginning on Sept. 1, 2019, prescribers must check the PMP before issuing any prescription for four drug classes: opioids, benzodiazepines, barbiturates, and carisoprodol. TMA's advocacy during the session helped delay that mandate until 2019, giving TMA and other interested organizations more time to study how to best combat illicit prescribing.
To receive help or instructions from TSBP in setting up your account, call (512) 305-8050 or email texaspmp[at]pharmacy[dot]texas[dot]gov.
Check out this TMA video with TSBP's Allison Benz for a primer on how to use the state's PMP.