Drug overdose surpassed motor vehicle accidents as the leading cause of accidental death 2006 and has remained the leading cause of accidental death at the state and national level.  Most drug overdose deaths involve at least one prescription drug.  The state of Washington has implemented measures to help in the battel against the prescription drug overdose epidemic including our Prescription Monitoring Program (PMP). Washington’s PMP is designed to help promote patient safety by giving providers the ability to review accurate controlled substance history of patients in their care.  This data is essential for preventing duplicative prescribing; identifying patterns of misuse and, and for care coordination.  This overview will demonstrate ways providers can use data from the PMP to ensure safe prescriptive care for their patients.