The Opioid Epidemic: Resources and Insights
Professional Education
Safe Opioid Prescribing for Physicians and Dentists
This enduring activity meets controlled substances requirements for a national audience (not state-specific). Opioids play an important role in pain management—both in the acute and the chronic setting, but a variety of causes have contributed to an opioid-related epidemic leading to addiction and death. There has also been substantial misuse of opioids by prescription and by diversion. With the spotlight on the epidemic guidelines, regulations, studies, and solutions are emerging, including recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that can address the epidemic and allow for effective and appropriate use of these drugs.
Professional Education
Safe Opioid Prescribing for Physicians and Dentists: Florida Edition
This enduring program meets current Florida-specific controlled substance requirements. Opioids play an important role in pain management—both in the acute and the chronic setting, but a variety of causes have contributed to an opioid-related epidemic leading to addiction and death. There has also been substantial misuse of opioids by prescription and by diversion. With the spotlight on the epidemic guidelines, regulations, studies, and solutions are emerging, including recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that can address the epidemic and allow for effective and appropriate use of these drugs.
Professional Education
Module 1: Eliminating Stigma Through Clinical Understanding (Innovations and Smart Approaches in Safe Prescribing)
Learn several new concepts and innovation tips. Learn about the new CDC Guidelines about pain. This program will show how to treat pain, opioid withdrawal, and/or opioid addiction. It will show how to taper opioids and you will learn how to conduct “motivational interviewing.” You will gain an increased awareness in neurobiology, psychology, and heritability of addiction. Examine your own internal biases that impact care of your patients who misuse opioids. Lastly, you will evaluate addiction without stigma to build trust and rapport with patients who misuse opioids. This module consists of four audio-filled videos. To successfully complete this course, you must achieve a passing score of 80 percent in the post-test questions.
Professional Education
Module 2: Alternatives to Opioids for Pain (Innovations and Smart Approaches in Safe Prescribing)
Learn several new concepts and innovation tips. Learn about the new CDC Guidelines about pain. This program will show how to treat pain, opioid withdrawal, and/or opioid addiction. It will show how to taper opioids and you will learn how to conduct “motivational interviewing.” You will be refamiliarized utilizing the CDC Guidelines for prescribing opioids. You will also be encouraged to utilize nonpharmacological and pharmacological alternatives to opioids. Lastly, assess your effectiveness and use of the Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) program. This module consists of four audio-filled videos. To successfully complete this course, you need to achieve a passing score of 80 percent in the post-test questions.
Professional Education
Module 3: Safe Prescribing of Opioids and CNS Depressants (Innovations and Smart Approaches in Safe Prescribing)
Learn several new concepts and innovation tips. Learn about the new CDC Guidelines about pain. This program will show how to treat pain, opioid withdrawal, and/or opioid addiction. It will show how to taper opioids and you will learn how to conduct “motivational interviewing.” You will examine multimodal approaches for chronic pain, including physical, psych-behavioral, procedural, and pharmacological modalities. You will be encouraged to use tools for prescribing and tapering opioids and benzodiazepines. You will be provided with an overview of the use of CURES 2.0. Lastly, the program will examine how to best screen patients for use of CNS depressants and marijuana to mitigate the potential for contraindications with opioids. This module consists of seven audio-filled videos. To successfully complete this course, you need to achieve a passing score of 80 percent in the post-test questions.
Professional Education
Module 4: Recognition, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Substance Use Disorder (Innovations and Smart Approaches in Safe Prescribing)
Learn several new concepts and innovation tips. Learn about the new CDC Guidelines about pain. This program will show how to treat pain, opioid withdrawal, and/or opioid addiction. It will show how to taper opioids and you will learn how to conduct “motivational interviewing.” You will be shown strategies for recognizing substance use disorder (SUD) and opioid use disorder (OUD). Refamiliarize yourself with screening for fentanyl. Provide valuable pharmacological and nonpharmacological resources to connect patients to treatment for addiction. Discuss individualized treatment plans that are tailored to specific patient needs when treating OUD. This module consists of four audio-filled videos. To successfully complete this course, you need to achieve a passing score of 80 percent in the post-test questions.
Professional Education
Module 5: Eliminating Stigma Through Clinical Understanding of Substance Use Disorder (Innovations for Smart Approaches in Safe Prescribing)
You will explore how having a working awareness of neurobiology, psychology, and heritability of addiction positively impacts holistic treatment of opioid misuse. This module will examine how the etiology of stigma and how internalized biases impact the care of patients who misuse opioids. Lastly, this program will provide resources on how to connect to treatment for substance use disorder. This module consists of five audio-filled videos. To successfully complete this course, you need to achieve a passing score of 80 percent in the post-test questions.
Professional Education
Pain Management: A Closed Claim Analysis Looking at Risks and Lessons Learned
For the first time, The Doctors Company has published an analysis of lawsuits and claims filed against pain management physicians. This study completed in 2020 provides quantitative and qualitative information that a physician who practices pain management, including interventional approaches to treatment would find useful in mitigating the risks of unintended outcomes or harms. This study breaks down where most patient injuries occur, what those injuries are, and the lessons learned from those claims.
Jan 29, 2021
Pain Management Closed Claims Study
The Doctors Company reviewed medical malpractice claims that closed between 2008 and 2018 and involved pain management physicians as the primary specialty responsible in the claim. That criteria identified 273 claims and lawsuits.