Tech problems may crimp launch of California's new prescription drug database

Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association: Next week the state will unveil a new $3 million medication database, but it turns out it's not compatible with some of the state's biggest providers. Shouldn't they have looked into that before they built it?

Tech problems may crimp launch of state's new prescription drug database http://t.co/cqYR0YELf9

— L.A. Times Politics (@latimespolitics) June 24, 2015

Nearly every state in the country operates a prescription drug monitoring program, which tracks when certain narcotics are prescribed and dispensed. After a Times investigation found California's existing drug database, the Controlled Substances Utilization Review and Evaluation System, or CURES, was woefully underused and underfunded, lawmakers passed a law in 2013 to increase funding for the system.

The $3-million upgrade, known as CURES 2.0, is set to roll out July 1, but a compatibility issue with certain Web browsers may make it impossible for some doctors to use it.

The California Medical Assn. sent a memo to its members last week warning that if the Justice Department "does not change their implementation plan, a minimum of thousands of physicians will lose access to CURES."

The new version of CURES will not work with older versions of Internet Explorer. While the solution for some users may be as simple as updating their browser, some health systems, say the newer browsers will not work with their electronic health systems records and therefore a more comprehensive technological fix may be needed.