Effect of State Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs on Opioid Prescribing

Katherine Wen worked with CHERISH investigator Yuhua Bao to assess the effects of state policies and practices aimed at improving prescriber use of Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs (PDMPs) on opioid prescriptions that put patients at high risk of opioid misuse and overdose (“high-risk opioid prescriptions”). With the CHERISH enhancement funding, Wen used Health Care Cost Institute (HCCI) data to assess the effects of PDMP policies on opioid overdose and other opioid-related inpatient admissions and emergency department visits with a focus on the privately insured and Medicare Advantage populations. Findings of this study inform future policymaking for safe prescribing of pain medications for effective management of pain.

Katherine Wen is an assistant professor of medicine, health, and society and of public policy at Vanderbilt University. Wen has a strong economic and econometric methods background and has worked on several projects related to policies intended to curb the opioid epidemic.