ILPMP Attends the Harold Rogers PDMP 2024 National Meeting: A Recap

From August 13-15, 2024, Jen Erickson, IL PMPnow Manager, represented the Illinois Prescription Monitoring Program (ILPMP) at the Harold Rogers PDMP 2024 National Meeting in the Washington, DC area. Jen presented on ILPMP Opioid Settlement Funding, detailing the steps and proposal process for applying for this funding, the subsequent award, and how the ILPMP Team efficiently utilized the funds to achieve significant progress in a short time.

The Harold Rogers annual meeting is a valuable opportunity for the 54 State and Territory PMPs to convene, exchange ideas, learn from one another, and discuss future challenges and opportunities. This year’s event featured Federal presentations from several agencies, including:

Senior Counsel from the Affirmative Litigation Branch, HHS-OIG-OCIG, addressing Information Blocking in Healthcare.
The FDA provided an important Update on Drug Regulation.
The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) gave an overview of the Proposed Rule, which includes a section directly impacting PMPs. This rule is currently open for public comment until October 4, 2024.

Panel Discussion on Health Record Integration Challenges

A highlight of the meeting was a panel discussion on the Challenges with Health Record Integration. The panel included representatives from five technology companies/platforms who discussed the hurdles their systems face in adapting quickly to regulatory changes. This topic was especially relevant to Illinois, given recent amendments to the Illinois Controlled Substance Act, Section 316.1. Before these legislative changes, Illinois’ home-grown PMP had not experienced the level of integration challenges mentioned by some of the vendors. However, with the upcoming rule implementation, the ILPMP team anticipates some of these complications may arise. Nevertheless, the current structure, coupled with the support of ILPMP’s technology consultants, has provided a solid foundation for future integrations.

Leadership Changes and Networking Opportunities

A key takeaway from the meeting was the opportunity to network with several PMP Administrators. According to the Director from TTAC, nearly 50% of PMPs have undergone leadership transitions in the past two years. While this shift presents opportunities for fresh perspectives, the continued presence of experienced administrators ensures that critical institutional knowledge is preserved. This balance between experience and new ideas is essential for driving the future of PMPs forward.

New Employee Spotlight

ILPMP welcomes, Mark Cioffi, as the new Data Analyst. Mark has been the Data Analyst for the New Hampshire Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) since 2018. In that role, he provided data analytics including presentations to stakeholders and the NH Legislature. He served on two of the governor’s opioid crisis task forces and has presented at Harold Rogers PDMP national conferences. His healthcare career spans 4 decades including over 12 years of data analysis experience at Magellan Pharmacy Benefits Management Corp. At Keane Consulting he was a claims data analyst for private insurers. He was the lead analyst for the implementation of the NH Medicaid Management Information System (MMIS) and spent 5 years at the NH state psychiatric hospital as a member of the Executive Committee and Senior Management Analyst. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute, an MBA from Plymouth State University, and a Master of Science in Taxation from Bentley College. Mark is the Associate Chief Judge for the Jaguar Association of New England at their various Concours.

ILPMP Advisory Committee Meeting

The ILPMP Advisory Committee Meeting was held on September 17th via Webex. Topics of interest included: new staff introductions, 2080 Rule update, ILPMP grant update, SIUE School of Pharmacy project updates, and an ILPMP Performance Audit update. Advisory Committee information, including past minutes and agendas, can be found on ilpmp.org About Us section.

Educational Resources

Opioid Risk Tools can be a valuable addition to your safe opioid prescribing process. This short, animated video briefly introduces these tools and their place in practice. Brought to you by the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Pharmacy and the Illinois Prescription Monitoring Program.

ILPMP Fall Conference Schedule

OCTOBER 17 - 19, 2024

22ND ANNUAL ILLINOIS SOCIETY OF ADVANCED PRACTICE NURSE ASSOCATION APRN MIDWEST CONFERENCE

LISLE, IL

OCTOBER 28 - 31, 2024

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF STATE CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE AUTHORTIES CONFERENCE

GREENVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA

Barbie Sauer (left) and Jackie DeNardo (right) are pictured at the Illinois Council of Health-System Pharmacists 2024 Annual Meeting on September 12 - 14, 2024.

Navigating Pain Management, Safe Opioid Prescribing, and Opioid Use Disorder

A three-hour program designed to meet the educational needs for physicians, nurses, and pharmacists. The program is accredited in 6, 30-minute modules.

Prescriber Register

Pharmacist Register

ILPMP.ORG & IL PMPnow Monthly Data

Contact Information

If you have questions about the information that appears in this update or suggestions for future content, please email dhs.pmp@illinois.gov. Visit www.ilpmp.org for more information.

The Illinois Prescription Monitoring Program (ILPMP) is an electronic database that collects, tracks, and stores reported dispensing data on Schedule II-V controlled substances, selected drugs of interest, and other health information. The Illinois Department of Human Services oversees the ILPMP, authorized by the Illinois Controlled Substances Act (720 ILCS 570/316). The ILPMP adheres to HIPAA and all access, disclosure, and confidentiality provisions of Illinois Law.