Medical Staff

Alabama to track controlled-substance prescriptions

Executive Briefings Digest, February 14, 2006

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Alabama began a pilot project in January 2006 for a prescription drug database that will keep track of patients who take OxyContin, Xanax, and other controlled substances, reports The Birmingham [AL] News. The program will be voluntary until April 1, 2006, when doctors, pharmacists, and veterinarians will be required to send to the state the names and addresses of patients prescribed certain controlled substances.

Similar to programs in other states, the Alabama database aims to prevent "doctor shopping," a practice in which patients receive multiple prescriptions from different doctors. This summer, President Bush signed into law a bill creating electronic monitoring programs for prescriptions in all 50 states, establishing a $60 million grant program for states to develop new databases and improve existing ones.

Source: Electronic Health Records Briefing



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