Fran or anyone else, it appears for APRNs to register, you must have DEA. Can anyone comment on this?  Thanks, Julie

As many of you are aware, GA created a Prescription Drug Monitoring program in 2013 for use by pharmacists and all prescribing clinicians.  Initially, there was no way for APRNs to register for the program, as we were not included in the pull-down menu for approved prescribers.  That has now been remedied.  Go to this link for background information: 

http://gdna.georgia.gov/press-releases/2013-03-18/prescription-drug-monitoring-program-pdmp-law-and-implementation-guide

To register, go to this link:

http://www.hidinc.com/gapdmp  Click on "Practitioner."  Follow the directions to request an account.  

A word to the wise:  Follow the instructions very carefully, as the process may seem a bit confusing (at least it did to me).  When you successfully complete the registration form, you will get a message saying you will receive an email when your registration is approved.  This came to me within a couple of hours, with a subject heading of  "Georgia PDMP user account created"  and gives you a UserID.  You will then get a second email with a subject heading of "Georgia PDMP account status."  That email will give you a temporary password, a PIN #, and more instructions.  WRITE THEM DOWN AND KEEP IN A SAFE PLACE. 

BE SURE TO FOLLOW THESE INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY, as that part is what I found to be cumbersome!

I tried to help make this easier for you, and I hope it helped.  I DO encourage you to register, as this is a useful tool to make sure your patients are not abusing drugs and getting prescriptions from multiple providers or pharmacies, if you suspect them of doing so.  I will be happy to try to assist if you run into problems, or you can call the 800 help number.

Fran Beall, RN, ANP, BC