Prescription Drug Monitoring Program

Use & Exemptions

Review

Providers must review a patient’s prescription history prior to prescribing a federally scheduled II – III controlled substance. Pharmacists are not required to review but may choose to do so.

Report

Prescriptions for federally scheduled II, III, and IV controlled substances must be reported daily. This applies to pharmacists and providers who directly dispense. Alaska Statute (AS) 11.71.900(8) defines “dispenser” as a practitioner who dispenses prescriptions to an ultimate user. State holiday and weekends are exempt from daily reporting. Reports for those days must be submitted the following business day.

Exemptions

Exemptions for conducting a review of patient prescription history and/or reporting prescription data apply if:

• Dispensing to a patient for an outpatient supply of 24-hours or less at a hospital with an inpatient pharmacy for use after discharge (exempt by AS 17.30.200(t)(2)(A)).
• Dispensing to a patient for an outpatient supply of 24-hours or less at a hospital emergency department (exempt by AS 17.30.200(t)(2)(B)).
• Administering to an inpatient admitted to a healthcare facility (exempt by AS 17.30.200(k)).
• Administering at the scene of an emergency, in an ambulance, or in an emergency department (exempt by AS 17.30.200(k)(4)(A)(iii)).
• Dispensing, prescribing, or administering at a hospice or nursing home that has an inpatient pharmacy (AS 17.30.200(k)(4)(A)(iv)).
• Dispensing, prescribing, or administering immediately before, during, or within the first 48 hours after surgery or a medical procedure (exempt by AS 17.30.200(k)).
• Writing a non-refillable prescription for a controlled substance in a quantity intended to last for not more than three days (exempt by AS 17.30.200(k)(4)(B)).

Examples of Common Scenarios

• Providers are NOT exempt from reviewing if prescribing, administering, or dispensing controlled substances:
  • More than 48 hours after surgery or a medical procedure; or
  • For a prescription issued for more than three days.
  In other words, a practitioner, e.g.: surgeon, who issues post-operative schedule II or III pain medications in quantities lasting 30 days must perform a review. If the quantity is intended to last 90 days, subsequent reviews must occur at least once every 30 days. Additionally, any schedule II or III prescription issued for more than three days by any practitioner with any healthcare specialty must review.
• Providers, including pharmacists, are NOT exempt from reporting more than a 24-hour supply of controlled substance prescriptions dispensed, administered, or prescribed to a patient:
  • In a hospital inpatient pharmacy; or
  • In an emergency room setting
  In other words, any federally-scheduled II – IV prescription issued for more than one day by hospital pharmacies and emergency room providers must be reported.