Pharmacists, physicians enrolling in Joplin, Jasper County prescription drug monitoring programs

Joplin and Jasper County in Missouri are enrolling pharmacists and soon physicians in their new prescription drug monitoring programs, which are overseen by the St. Louis County Department of Public Health. The local programs went live on February 1. After watching attempts to pass a statewide system fail for years, St. Louis County launched its own database last April in an effort to curb opioid addictions in the state. The St. Louis-based program has been adopted or is in the process of being authorized by nearly 60 jurisdictions in Missouri. All doctors and pharmacies in Jasper County will be covered by the program, even those in cities that have not adopted the ordinance. Jasper County's health department plans to work with pharmacists and physicians to continue enrolling them and educating them on the process to ensure that the database is being used, said administrator Tony Moehr. About 25 pharmacists across the county and several physicians have already enrolled in the program, he said.