Keeping Patients Safe: Educating About Safe Disposal of Opioids to Prevent Diversion

Faculty

Vincent Capone, MPAS, MSW, PA-C
Associate Medical Director and Physician Assistant, Empower3 Center for Health - Internal Medicine
Trauma Physician Assistant, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC)
Altoona Trauma and Emergency General Surgery Department (InterTrauma Consulting), Altoona, PA
Vincent Capone, MPAS, MSW, PA-C

Vincent Capone is a Physician Assistant currently practicing internal medicine in central Pennsylvania at the Empower3 Center for Health where he serves as the Associate Medical Director. In addition, he continues to work in Trauma/Emergency General Surgery at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center in Altoona. He is a graduate of Missouri State University School of Social Work and Saint Francis University’s Department of Physician Assistant Studies, a program where he remains active as a preceptor. Mr. Capone is a veteran of the U.S. Army and served in both an enlisted capacity and later as an Army officer. He is currently a Fellow in the American Academy of Physician Assistants and Pennsylvania Society of Physician Assistants, a member of the Blair Country Healthy Coalition, and a former member of the Society of Army Physician Assistants. He actively volunteers with the PA Foundation and as a member of the AAPA Physician Assistant Research Team Initiative. Among his current certifications are Advanced Trauma Life Support from the American College of Surgeons, and a Certified Opioid Treatment Specialist from Clarion University. He was awarded the Advanced Practitioner of the Year award by InterTrauma Consulting in 2017 and 2018.

Peter A. Kreckel, RPh
Adjunct Assistant Professor of Pharmacology, Saint Francis University
Pharmacy Manager, Thompson Pharmacy, Altoona, PA
Peter A. Kreckel, RPh

Peter A. Kreckel, RPh received his Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy from the University of Pittsburgh in 1981. He served as the President of the Pharmacy School Class of 1981 for 3 years and as President of the Pharmacy Student Council for 2 years. He has been employed at the Thompson Pharmacy on Broad Avenue, Altoona, PA since June of 2008 and also serves as an adjunct professor at St. Francis University, where he has taught pharmacology to physician assistant students since 2005.

Additionally, he is a clinical pharmacist at the Empower-3 Clinic in Altoona, where he works in the office of Dr. Zane Gates and sees patients to review medications before they see their provider. Mr. Kreckel is currently writing a monthly column to share his views and experiences gathered from his 38 years in community pharmacy practice. Further, he writes a weekly newsletter to share concise and relevant clinical information on therapeutics.

Mr. Kreckel is passionate about his profession in pharmacy and works tirelessly to provide future pharmacists the same rewarding opportunities he has experienced.

Statement of Need

Despite the dangers of opioid abuse and diversion, clinicians often overprescribe opioids, leading to a surplus of unused and unguarded medications. Without proper disposal, this can lead to medications being stolen by a patient’s friend or relative, or to patients giving these medications away or even selling them. Pharmacists can play an important role in educating patients on the appropriate storage and disposal of opioids. It is essential to mitigating misuse and diversion of unused opioids.

The final installment in this CME Outfitters BriefCase series highlights a patient case study that focuses on keeping patients safe by educating them on the proper storage and disposal of opioids.

Learning Objectives

At the end of this CME/CE activity, participants should be able to educate patients about safe storage and disposal of unused opioids to prevent misuse and diversion.

Financial Support

Supported by an educational grant from Johnson & Johnson, administered by Johnson & Johnson.

Target Audience

Pharmacists.

Credit Information

Jointly Accredited Provider

In support of improving patient care, CME Outfitters, LLC, is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

Pharmacists/Pharmacy Tech (ACPE) 0.25

This application-based activity is approved for 0.25 contact hour (0.025 CEUs) of continuing pharmacy credit.
UAN: JA0007185-0000-22-041-H08-P

Disclosure Declaration

It is the policy of CME Outfitters, LLC, to ensure independence, balance, objectivity, and scientific rigor and integrity in all of their CE activities. Faculty must disclose to the participants any relationships with commercial companies whose products or devices may be mentioned in faculty presentations, or with the commercial supporter of this CE activity. CME Outfitters, LLC, has evaluated, identified, and mitigated any potential conflicts of interest through a rigorous content validation procedure, use of evidence-based data/research, and a multidisciplinary peer review process.


Vincent Capone, MPAS, MSW, PA-C has no disclosures to report.


Peter Kreckel, RPh has no disclosures to report.


Disclosures were obtained from the CME Outfitters, LLC staff: No disclosures to report.

  • Mae Ochoa, RPh (peer reviewer) has no disclosures to report.
  • Evan Luberger (planning committee) has no disclosures to report.
  • Jan Perez (planning committee) has no disclosures to report.
  • Sharon Tordoff (planning committee) has no disclosures to report.

Faculty of this CE activity may include discussions of products or devices that are not currently labeled for use by the FDA. The faculty have been informed of their responsibility to disclose to the audience if they will be discussing off-label or investigational uses (any uses not approved by the FDA) of products or devices.

Obtaining Credits

Post-tests, credit request forms, and activity evaluations must be completed online (requires free account activation), and participants can print their certificate or statement of credit immediately (75% pass rate required). This website supports all browsers except Internet Explorer for Mac. For complete technical requirements and privacy policy, visit our Privacy & Confidentiality page.

Questions about this activity?

Call us at (877) CME-PROS or (877) 263-7767.

BC-015-043020-57

 

Keeping Patients Safe: Educating About Safe Disposal of Opioids to Prevent Diversion
Event Date: 04/30/2020