State requirements may vary, but the CDC recommendation is to check the PDMP at least once every 3 months and consider checking before every opioid prescription.
- Use the PDMP to look up the patient history of dispensed Schedule II-V controlled substances. For a new patient being prescribed a controlled substance it is advisable to look up the PDMP before writing out the first prescription.
- For high-risk patients (history of substance abuse, mental health disorder) it may be advisable to look up the online PDMP before every prescription of a controlled substance.
