COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio healthcare providers will soon receive alerts about patients who have experienced non-fatal drug overdoses, a new initiative announced today by Governor Mike DeWine and Ohio Board of Pharmacy Executive Director Steven Schierholt. The alerts, generated through the Ohio Automated Rx Reporting System (OARRS), aim to improve care coordination and provide timely intervention to prevent fatal overdoses.
“The goal of this alert is to give us an extra chance to save someone’s life,” said Governor DeWine. “The research shows us that people who have recently experienced a non-fatal overdose are at a higher risk to overdose again in the near future, and that they often have regular interactions with the healthcare system – including pharmacists and prescribers. This new alert system will be a valuable tool allowing our healthcare providers the opportunity to educate and offer treatment and prevention options to these individuals before a tragedy occurs.”
The Ohio Department of Health will provide overdose data from hospitals to OARRS under a rule change announced earlier this year. Starting April 8, 2024, prescribers and pharmacists using OARRS will be notified when a patient discharged from an emergency department has experienced a non-fatal overdose.
The initiative highlights the importance of healthcare interactions in addressing addiction. In 2022, among Ohioans who died of unintentional drug overdoses, 32% had previously experienced a non-fatal overdose, and 26% received a prescription for a controlled substance within 60 days of their death. These findings underscore the need for targeted interventions, such as access to naloxone (an overdose reversal medication) and treatment for opioid use disorder.
“Data from state prescription drug monitoring programs, such as OARRS, continues to be an invaluable resource for healthcare providers,” said Steven Schierholt, Executive Director of the Ohio Board of Pharmacy. “With this alert, we are encouraging prescribers and pharmacists to engage with their patients and offer proven interventions that will prevent fatal drug overdoses in the future.”
Established in 2006, OARRS is a statewide database that tracks prescriptions for controlled substances dispensed by pharmacies or provided by prescribers. The Ohio Board of Pharmacy has created training materials to help providers navigate the new system, available at Pharmacy.Ohio.gov/NFOD.
This initiative is part of Governor DeWine’s broader efforts to combat drug addiction and reduce overdose deaths across the state. Recently released data from the Ohio Department of Health reveals encouraging progress: Ohio saw a 9% decline in overdose deaths last year, outperforming the national average of a 2% decrease. In 2022, Ohio’s 5% reduction also exceeded the nation’s 1% increase.