Coalition Launches Program to Prevent Doctor Shopping

While nearly every state (49) has a Prescription Drug Monitoring Program to help identify "doctor shoppers," problem prescribers and individuals in need of treatment, these programs vary dramatically in funding, use and capabilities. In the latest addition to CADCA’s Coalition Ideas Exchange, the Weymouth Youth Coalition Substance Abuse Prevention Team discusses how it launched the Preventing Doctor Shopping and Pharmacy Hopping campaign to help local pharmacists and physicians reduce misuse and access to prescription drugs.

After experiencing growing rates of non-medical prescription drug use, hospitalization and overdose in Weymouth, Mass., key informant interviews revealed that incidents of doctor shopping and pharmacy hopping significantly contributed to the problem. In response to the issue, the coalition led a collaborative effort to increase local pharmacists’ use of the state’s Prescription Monitoring Program (PMP). The program creates barriers for individuals looking to access large amounts of prescription medications for non-medical purposes. The Preventing Doctor Shopping and Pharmacy Hopping Campaign, led by the coalition, included educating and enrolling pharmacists in the PMP, as well as supporting statewide legislation to ensure proper prescription monitoring practices among Massachusetts physicians.

CADCA’s Coalition Ideas Exchange provides coalitions access the latest information from other organizations across the country that are implementing innovative strategies and interventions to address substance abuse in their communities. The information comes directly from coalitions with the goal of providing resources, actionable steps and recommendations for applying these ideas to work in other communities. To learn more about the Weymouth Youth Coalition Substance Abuse Prevention Team and the Coalition Ideas Exchange, visit www.cadca.org/ideasexchange.