The Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment for Patients and Communities Act includes a provision for GAO to study the operation of PDMPs. In this report, GAO describes (1) physicians’ views on the usefulness of PDMPs when making patient care decisions; and (2) challenges to using PDMPs when making patient care decisions, as well as state and federal efforts to address these challenges.

GAO interviewed 31 physicians in 10 selected states and PDMP officials in nine of the 10 states. The selected states vary geographically and by other factors such as overdose death rates. GAO selected physicians from medical specialties that prescribe opioids. GAO also conducted interviews with relevant national organizations, organizations representing pharmacists, and officials from federal agencies that support PDMPs, and reviewed relevant federal strategy documents and grant announcements.