Michigan's Prescription Monitoring Programs

Michigan's Automated Prescription System, known as MAPS, was enacted by law to help prevent substance abuse. The drug monitoring program requires prescription data on controlled substances to be reported by practitioners, pharmacies and veterinarians. By accessing the MAPS central database, a practitioner can identify patients who may be receiving controlled substances from other providers and help stop them from "doctor shopping," according to Michigan Department of Community Health. Only health practitioners, pharmacists, veterinarians and law enforcement officials are authorized to access the secure, on line MAPS database

Prescribing Health Practitioners

• Physicians, dentists and nurse practitioners are encouraged to register with MAPS. Once registered, practitioners are allowed access to MAPS to electronically report and receive information on controlled substances obtained by prescription. For each patient for whom a practitioner prescribes a controlled substance, the practitioner must report that information to MAPS. A practitioner can also access information about a patient's drug record in respect to their use of controlled substances. A practitioner is encouraged to use the database both before and during patient treatment. Practitioners are required to report prescription activity on control substances to MAPS the first and fifteenth of each month, although more frequent filing is permissible

Pharmacists

• Pharmacists dispensing controlled substances by prescription are required to electronically report this information to MAPS twice a month, although they can report more frequently, even daily.

  Pharmacists can fill prescriptions for controlled substances written by out-of-state physicians providing the prescribing physicians are licensed in the state in which they are practicing. Pharmacists must report all out-of-state prescriptions for controlled substances to MAPS.

State Monitoring

• MAP reports generated by pharmacists and practitioners are monitored by state health administrators. The health officials work to identify those patients whose reports show an excessive use of controlled substances. Once these patients are identified, the prescribing practitioners are notified by mail. Practitioners are then encouraged to contact other prescribing practitioners to determine whether or not the reported excessive use of controlled substances is legitimate. If not, practitioners are encouraged to work together to discourage patients from abusing drugs

Veterinarians

• Veterinarians are also required to report to MAPS any controlled substances that they dispense to patients. Like other health practitioners, they must electronically submit data on any patient(s) for which they have prescribed or dispensed a controlled substance. Information on the pet owner, including name, address and driver's license number is required by MAPS.