Pain Management Resources

Oct 21, 2024
Dispensing Sample Medications: Risk Management Strategies
Debra Kane Hill, MBA, RN, Senior Patient Safety Risk Manager, The Doctors Company, Part of TDC Group
If not carefully managed, sample medications can create issues that place patients and the practice at risk.

Professional Education
Pain Management: A Closed Claim Analysis Looking at Risks and Lessons Learned
The Doctors Company has published an analysis of lawsuits and claims filed against pain management clinicians. This study provides quantitative and qualitative information that a clinician 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. 1.25 credits

Dec 21, 2023
Suicide Prevention: Primary Care Is a Crucial Setting for Identifying Risk
Debra Davidson, MJ, CPPS, Senior Patient Safety Risk Manager, The Doctors Company
At any given time, some of your patients are having thoughts of suicide. Effective suicide prevention requires a comprehensive approach.

Oct 01, 2023
Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: Call or Text 988
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now 988, an easy-to-remember number for 24/7 crisis care.

Aug 11, 2023
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Malpractice Claims: Lessons Learned
Michelle Swift, JD, RN, Senior Patient Safety Risk Manager, The Doctors Company
We analyzed closed physical medicine and rehabilitation claims to better understand what motivates allegations of injury.

Professional Education
Module 6: Controlled Substance Utilization Review and Evaluation System (CURES) (Innovations and Smart Approaches in Safe Prescribing)
This program reviews the CURES electronic database for Schedule II, III, IV, V controlled substance prescriptions dispensed in California, including time requirements involved when dispensing information needs to be reported (a controlled substance is released to the patient or patient's representative). This module will examine how non-DEA licensed physicians and surgeon practitioners can access CURES data. 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.
0.5 credit

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.
0.5 credit

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.
0.5 credit

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.
0.8 credit

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.
0.5 credit

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.
0.8 credit

Oct 18, 2022
Moderate or Conscious Sedation in the Office Setting
Julie Brightwell, JD, RN, Director, Healthcare System Patient Safety, Department of Patient Safety and Risk Management
Prevent patient injury when providing moderate sedation in the office by incorporating these patient safety and practice improvement strategies.

Jan 29, 2021
Pain Management Closed Claims Study
Jacqueline Ross, RN, PhD, Coding Director, and Michelle Swift, RN, JD, Senior Patient Safety Risk Manager
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.

Aug 27, 2019
Electronic Health Records Continue to Lead to Medical Malpractice Suits
Darrell Ranum, JD, Vice President of Patient Safety and Risk Management
We analyzed 216 medical malpractice claims that closed from 2010 to 2018 in which EHRs contributed to patient injury. The pace of these claims grew, from a low of seven cases in 2010 to an average of 22.5 cases per year in 2017 and 2018. As EHRs approach near-universal adoption, they may become a more prevalent source of patient safety risk.