Produced annually, the atlas provides an overview of TPP-monitored medication use across Alberta.
The purpose of the Tracked Prescription Program (TPP) Alberta Prescription Drug Monitoring Program Atlas is to provide an overview of provincial TPP Alberta medication use for the year 2020. As with the 2019 Atlas, provincial use will be summarized for two classes of medications: opioids (including codeine containing and tramadol-containing medications) and benzodiazepines (BDZ/Z), which include “Z” drugs such as zopiclone, eszopiclone, and zolpidem.
New additions to this year’s atlas include
- an executive summary,
- prescribing rate comparisons by socio-economic status,
- the impact of COVID-19 on prescribing trends,
- an expanded exploration of trends for the top five geographic areas with the highest rates,
- an exploration of dosage by specialty group, and
- brief discussions of some observed prescribing patterns.
Here is some additional information to consider when referring to the atlas:
- Antibiotics are also monitored by the TPP Alberta program, but this data is summarized in a separate atlas.
- Data is taken primarily from the Pharmaceutical Information Network (PIN), a part of Alberta’s electronic health record (Netcare).
- 2020 data is unique in that it includes pharmacists as TPP prescribers for the first time due to implementation and subsequent extension of the Subsection 56(1) class exemption for patients, practitioners and pharmacists prescribing and providing controlled substances in Canada (which led to development of ACP’s Controlled drugs and substances exemption guidelines).
For more information, visit the TPP Alberta website.
