Core Opioid Risk Program ($125)

1. Chronic Pain and Opioids: What's the Plan?

   This course gives an overview of safe use of opioids for non-terminal chronic pain. The focus is on using opioids when indicated and only when indicated with precautions intended to decrease risk of co-morbid addiction and non-medical use of opioids. It introduces the elements of current guidelines for chronic opioid therapy produced by several professional organizations.



2. Communicating with Patients: Assessing Risk and Creating a Shared Approach

   This course will train primary care providers in the effective assessment of chronic pain patients for risk of substance abuse and in how to reduce risk via communication, which can be enhanced through treatment agreements.



3. Minimizing Diversion and Overdose Risk: Dealing with Unique Challenges of Opioid Treatment

   This course addresses the increasing problem of diversion of prescription opioids and overdose by educating physicians about the steps they should take to minimize risk of these problems.

Core Opioid Risk Program
+ Practice ($235)

• Practice clinical applications
• Interviewing our patient actors via live online chat is part of this continuing professional education program
• 10 to 20 minute interview in 1 hour course
• Receive feedback and targeted learning material
• On demand periods or schedule a time

Comprehensive Opioid Risk Program ($185)

1. Patient Choices: Aberrant Behaviors and the Treatment of Pain

   This course trains pain managing clinicians in recognition of patients' aberrant behaviors that might suggest addiction or other substance abuse. The course offers an approach to distinguishing undertreated pain from addiction/substance abuse and to distinguishing between relatively low versus high risk aberrant behaviors.



2. Assessing Progress: The Urine Drug Test and Other Monitoring

   This course will discuss monitoring patients on chronic opioid therapy using a systematic approach that includes assessment/tracking tools, urine drug tests, prescription drug monitoring, and pill counts.



3. Communicating with Colleagues: Integration and Consultation to Maximize Patient Outcomes

   This course describes the role of the primary care provider vs that of the specialist in co-management of chronic pain patients and illustrates how the different providers can effectively and efficiently communicate to promote optimal patient outcomes.



4. Treating Chronic Pain in the High Risk Patient

   This course will train opioid prescribing clinicians on the intensified treatment structure needed when there is an elevated risk of substance abuse.

Comprehensive Opioid Risk Program + Practice ($295)

• Practice clinical applications
• Interviewing our patient actors via live online chat is part of this continuing professional education program
• 10 to 20 minute interview in 1 hour course
• Receive feedback and targeted learning material
• On demand periods or schedule a time

Guides:

• Key Info Guides:

  Step-by-step guides for physicians and other medical providers to combine clinical skills and tools needed in pain and addiction; for example, Government Regulations on Prescribing Controlled Substances, Patient Treatment Agreements, & Urine Drug Testing.

  1. Opioid Prescribing Guidelines

     Guidelines for prescribing opioids in general and for specific, common pain conditions

  
  
  2. Government Regulations on Prescribing Controlled Substances

     A synopsis of Federal and State regulations and access to the complete regulations

  
  
  3. Assessment Tools

     Screening tools and assessments for substance use problems (or risk) to use before prescribing; assessments for substance use problems during ongoing treatment. Also pain and function assessment tools and anxiety and depression assessment tools.

  
  
  4. Prescription Monitoring Programs

     Information and resources about the development & role of Prescription Monitoring Programs and their usage in clinical practice.

  
  
  5. Informed Consent and Written Treatment Agreements

     Informed Consent: Requirements for Informed Consent. Patient Treatment Agreements: Written information on patient's and provider's roles and expectations in long term opioid treatment. The relationship between these two documents.

  
  
  6. Urine Drug Testing

     Practical clinical information on using and interpreting UDTs as part of a chronic pain treatment program.

  
  
  
  

Resources:

• Where to Refer Your Patients Treatment Locaters

  Find pain and addiction specialists or treatment centers in your area



• Other Resources Websites, podcasts, PDFs, and Powerpoint presentations, searchable by keyword or category

  Find resources on:

  • Guidelines
  • Patient Management
  • Evaluation
  • Chronic Opioid Therapy
  • Substance Use Problems

Surveys:

• All health care providers
  Survey to better understand the training needs of primary care providers


• University or VA-based physicians
  Survey on training on the intersection of pain and addiction


• Recent medical school/residency graduates
  Survey on training on the intersection of pain and addiction