NORTH TEXAS (CBSDFW.COM) – Pharmacists have been sending the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) information on your prescriptions since 1982 and now the information is going online.
DPS has completed two of the three-phase online launch of the Texas Prescription Program.
"The phase that was rolled out yesterday went out to mid-level practitioners and to medical board and nursing board investigators," DPS supervisor Sherry Wright explained.
But not every prescription written will be entered in the database. Pharmacists are required to report each prescription they fill for narcotics.
"By statute, pharmacists have to report any controlled substances prescriptions that they have filled within even days to the Department of Public Safety," Wright said. "You're looking at drugs like Vicodin, hydrocodone and fentanyl patches."
The drug Xanax is also on the list.
Only those registered with DPS and who have the proper authority will have access to the information. Those individuals would include law enforcement officials investigating drug dealers and physicians trying to spot "doctor shoppers".
"The person that is seeking multiple doctors to obtain the same like drugs, in the same time period," Wright said. "It has been, I believe, identified as a national epidemic."
Information like a patient's name, address, date of birth and age will be included in the database and DPS officials say they have, "… gone to great lengths to ensure the privacy of all individuals."
All phases of the database rollout are scheduled to be completed by the end of the month.
