PMP Red Flags

The PMP provides information which can raise “red flags” or risk factors, such as:

• patients who get multiple controlled substances from multiple providers (doctor and pharmacy shoppers);
• those who get prescriptions from nonlocal providers and/or pharmacies;
• those who take higher doses of opioids than prescribed;
• those who use opioids in combination with other sedating substances, such as benzodiazepines;
• those who are frequently requesting early refill requests; and/or
• those who are using different payment methods, or cash only

Although a red flag is not a stop sign, it can help you screen for potential increased patient risk associated with controlled substances.  Below are how to identify these red flags on a PMP report and related New Mexico statistics.  The more “red flags” there are, the higher the risk is for the patient to have an overdose.  All statistics are provided by the New Mexico Department of Health.