Rapid Deployment: Opioids: Best Practices for use while Addressing the Epidemic- UPMC Health Plan
For chronic pain treatment outside of active cancer treatment, palliative care, and end-of-life care including:
- When to initiate or continue opioids for chronic pain
- What opioid to select (dosage, duration, follow-up, and discontinuation)
- How to assess risk and address the harms of opioid use
Suggested Additional Reading:
- Checklist for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain
http://www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/pdf/pdo_checklist-a.pdf
- Calculating Total Daily Dose of Opioids for Safer Dosage
http://www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/pdf/calculating_total_daily_dose-a.pdf
- Nonopioid Treatments for Chronic Pain
https://www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/pdf/nonopioid_treatments-a.pdf
- Pocket Guide: Tapering Opioids for Chronic Pain
https://www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/pdf/clinical_pocket_guide_tapering-a.pdf
Target Audience
Primary care physicians and physician extenders.
Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this activity, participants should be able to:
- Improve patient outcomes by utilizing best practices for treatment of chronic pain.
- Implement safeguards to protect patients from opioid use disorder.
Erin McConnell, PharmD — Program Manager, Pharmacy Quality, UPMC Health Plan, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
No relationships with industry relevant to the content of this educational activity have been disclosed.
Available Credit
- 0.50 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™The University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
- 0.50 Attendance