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Your Source for Opioid Education and Tools
The data and trends illustrating the impact of opioids on the United States and our communities are staggering. From rural to urban settings, communities are witnessing the growing and deadly impact of opioids. But health care providers at times feel caught between prescribing guidelines and patients’ needs. Taking Action: How will education address the problem? Education is the foundation of change. Education beyond the headlines that not only raises awareness about the opioid epidemic, but also provides strategies for changes in practice and process that will mobilize the HCP workforce. Education provides an opportunity to help HCPs better understand the biologic underpinnings of pain pathways so that their decision-making is focused on treatment alternatives that are targeted, effective, and safe. And finally, education to the patient so that they understand their treatment—the why and the how—so that they understand what to expect, and if prescribed an opioid, how to safely dispose of unused medication to ensure it is not illegally diverted, and prepare them to help if a loved one is struggling with addiction or take action in case of an overdose.
Heeding the Call for Safe and Responsible Pain Management in Our Communities
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Completion of the post-test and evaluation is necessary to meet the requirements of REMS. CME Outfitters is responsible for submitting your completion information to the FDA. This activity is also available as a podcast>> |
This webcast features an expert faculty panel discussion on the underlying mechanisms of acute and chronic pain pathways and how to utilize this knowledge to implement appropriate pain management strategies and educate patients about their pain, thus optimizing safe and effective, multimodal treatment plans.Curbing the Impact of the Opioid Epidemic: Arm Yourselves with the Latest Tools and Strategies to Manage OUD
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This video is a replay of a plenary session from the 12th Annual Chair Summit Master Class for Neuroscience Professional Development held in Las Vegas, NV from February 27 – 29, 2020. At the end of this CE activity, participants should be able to:
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Initiating Medication-Assisted Therapy for OUD in Diverse Settings: Clinical Pearls for Navigating the Process
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The opioid abuse epidemic has resulted in an alarming increase in opioid-related overdoses and deaths; however, the severe and lethal consequences of opioid misuse are preventable with the use of medication-assisted treatment (MAT), which is a proven, effective tool for patients with opioid use disorder (OUD). This CME Outfitters Snack features expert faculty expanding on best practices for MAT initiation particularly in diverse care settings such as the VA system, criminal justice settings, hospitals, and outpatient clinics, by examining the neurobiology of opioid addiction and the efficacy of opioid agonists and antagonists in reducing illicit opioid use. |
Putting Pressure on Opioid Prescribing: Novel Approaches to Pain Management
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Opioids continue to impact all corners of the United States and its communities, a burden that continues to grow at a rapid pace. The current opioid crisis is incredibly challenging for both patients and health care providers (HCPs). There has been a 30% increase in overdoses among men and a 24% increase among women, with all ages affected. While changing these current trends is important, it cannot be accomplished by policy changes alone. There is no one size fits all model for communities to address this crisis. This activity is also available as a podcast>> |
Addressing the Opioid Epidemic: A Call to Action to Save Our Communities
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Join Dr. Gold and Dr. Stanos in augmented reality illustration of pain management strategies to optimize safe and responsible management of acute and chronic pain. This activity is also available as a podcast>> |
Time To Listen: What The Experts Have To Say About Safe Opioid Prescribing And Addiction Treatment
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This CME Outfitters activity features insight from this panel of experts on the challenges, consequences, and opportunities for the development of education to help meet the pain management needs of patients amid rising concerns of addiction and diversion. |
Addressing the Opioid Epidemic: Reducing the Burden of Pain in a Changing Treatment Landscape
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Developing actionable steps to promote appropriate prescribing for individuals with acute and chronic pain is imperative to curbing the impact of the growing opioid crisis facing our communities. |
Addressing the Opioid Epidemic: New Approaches to Safe and Effective Pain Management
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In part 2 of this 3-part series, expert faculty focus on the four-step approach that follows the SOAP (Subjective-Objective-Assessment-Plan) approach to pain management, as well as principles of communication with patients experiencing pain in order to help clinicians appropriately prescribe the best therapy for pain management in each patient. |
Addressing the Opioid Epidemic: Principles of Communication and Recognizing Patient Needs
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The conclusion of this 3-part series features expert faculty focusing on a collaborative patient-centered approach in order to guide optimal pain management, which includes applying an evidence-based approach to chronic pain management and improving prescribing practices through pharmacovigilance. |
Understanding the Big Picture of Pain and Pain Assessment
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The key to pain management is helping patients function better so that they can return to doing the things they enjoy. In this CME Snack, expert faculty discuss pain assessment tools and risk stratification so that clinicians can work together with patients to restore function and improve quality of life. This activity is also available as a podcast>> |
Providing the Right Expectations: Understanding the Pathophysiology of Pain
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Evaluating patients with chronic pain can be a daunting task, as the nervous system is complex and knowing which type of pain the patient is experiencing – neuropathic, nociceptive, or nociplastic – is the best guide for where clinicians should focus their treatment decisions. In this CME Snack on understanding and treating pain, expert faculty focus on the pathophysiology of pain and the underlying mechanisms to assessment and appropriate management. This activity is also available as a podcast>> |
The Role that Gender Plays in Pain Perception, Treatment, and Addiction
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Gender plays an important role in pain, pain reception, and opioid use. In this CME Snack, expert faculty discuss how gender and sexual trauma and/or abuse affects a patient’s proclivity to substance abuse disorders. This activity is also available as a podcast>> |
Shifting Perspectives on Pain Management in Oral Surgery
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In a survey of 1,015,116 opioid naïve patients undergoing surgery, total duration of opioid use was the strongest predictor of misuse and the greatest risk for individuals in the 15-24 age group. Young people aged 15-24 often get their first exposure to opioids with dental surgery. In a survey of randomly selected oral surgeons conducted by Dr. Abubaker and colleagues, the average number of opioid tablets prescribed was 20, with 22% prescribing more than 20 tablets, and 11% prescribing more than 30 tablets. These risk factors, combined with the current epidemic, has led many oral surgeons to believe that the old standards of depending on opioids as a first-line treatment should be a thing of the past. In this free CME Snack, Dr. Gold and Dr. Abubaker share insights on alternative pain management strategies for oral pain with a focus on finding a balance between compassion for patient care and patient safety. This activity is also available as a podcast>> |
How PAs are Improving Skill Sets to Approach Opioid Use
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Opioid medications are among the most powerful medications available for the treatment of acute severe pain. Many patients start down the road of opioid addiction when prescribed opioids the first time following a surgery, trauma, or injury. In a 2017 survey of PAs clinical practice, PAs are not only prescribing Schedule II and III drugs, but are managing patients with pain in their practices and have expressed a need for education on both prescribing opioids and managing their patients, particularly for those of underserved populations. In this CME Snack on best ways to approach opioid use, expert faculty discuss the importance of gathering comprehensive patient histories that include substance use information, listening to patient stories, and the wellness component of treating patients with pain. This activity is also available as a podcast>> |
Managing the Complexity of Chronic Pain in the Primary Care Setting
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Primary care physicians can play a key role in making a difference in the opioid epidemic. PCPs are responsible for approximately 50% of opioid prescriptions and need to incorporate best practice strategies to optimize safe and competent prescribing, therefore minimizing potential for abuse and diversion. Although chronic pain is not something a physician can cure, if the patient feels understood and heard treatment will be more successful. This CME Snack focuses on the complexity of chronic pain and how best to manage it in a primary care setting, with expert faculty discussing how PCPs and their patients can make informed decisions together. This activity is also available as a podcast>> |
New Perspectives and Approaches from Orthopedic Surgeons for the Management of Acute Pain
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In light of the current opioid crisis, many states have put forward prescribing mandates and limits for opioids, clinical practice guidelines can provide guidance for treatment decisions for acute pain in the management of minor to major musculoskeletal injuries. In this CME Snack, expert faculty discuss non-opioid approaches to acute pain and the new Orthopaedic Trauma Association (OTA) Clinical Practice Guidelines for Acute Pain Management. Download the OTA Clinical Practice Guidelines for Acute Pain Management. This activity is also available as a podcast>> |
Fatal Attraction: Why are Opioids so Addicting?
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Early in the opioid crisis, physicians were the principle source of opioid use and abuse due to overprescribing, often leading to patients storing leftover prescriptions at home and friends or family members finding and using these leftovers. Unfortunately, simply restricting opioid prescriptions is not an effective strategy in a culture that has wildly available and accessible drugs of abuse available. In this CME Snack, Dr. Mark S. Gold focuses on the biological underpinnings of opioid addiction in order to educate clinicians on how to address the opioid epidemic in their communities. This activity is also available as a podcast>> |
Championing Change: Addressing Addiction in Our Communities
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In this CME Snack, Jessica Nickel, founder of the Addiction Policy Forum, and Dr. Mark Gold focus on community-based strategies to provide an effective care settings for those dealing with substance use disorder. This activity is also available as a podcast>> |
Risk for Opioid Overdose: Identifying At-Risk Patients in Your Practice Hidden in Plain Sight
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What is the profile of someone at risk for overdose? The 2016 CDC Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain recommends co-prescribing naloxone for patients at risk for overdose, including patients with a history of overdose or substance use, patients taking benzodiazepines, and patients taking ≥ 50 MMEs of opioids daily. The objective of this webcast is to raise awareness about the risk of overdose among patients with chronic pain in everyday practice and actionable changes to practice that are needed to mitigate that risk. |
A Way Forward: How Naloxone Saves Lives from Opioid Overdose
Increasing access to naloxone is essential to reducing overdose mortality. Strategies for increasing access must be thoughtfully developed and deployed to ensure that naloxone is available to any at-risk individual—whether that be an individual with chronic pain or someone with a substance use disorder—without the burden of stigma or judgement. CMEO convened an expert panel led by Dr. Mark Gold to discuss barriers and opportunities for distribution of naloxone to those at risk for overdose in the community. This white paper, A Way Forward: How Naloxone Saves Lives from Opioid Overdose reviews the data used by the panelists to establish their positions and recommendations for the way forward.
Conducting an ePain Assessment: Asking the Right Questions, Using the Best Tools
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Are You Seeing the Big Picture?: A Multimodal Approach to the Management of Pain
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Opioid Red Flags: Examining the Options and Taking the Next Steps
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Rethinking Standing Orders for Opioids to Manage Pain in Adolescents and Young Adults Requiring Third Molar Extraction
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It has long been a habit of dentists and oral and maxillofacial surgeons to prescribe narcotics following surgeries such as third molar extraction, with many prescribing as many as 20-30 tablets.A recent study of 105 patients who underwent third molar extraction saw 8 surgeons prescribing 1,773 opioid units, with only 38.4% of those units being consumed during the study period. The first installment of this CME Outfitters Briefcase series on non-opioid pain management focuses on how to choose safe and effective pain management strategies for dental postsurgical pain by aligning pain management practices to evidence-based recommendations for a rational, multimodal approach to analgesia. |
Getting a Head Start on Pain: Simple Changes to Your Pre-Procedure Workflow for Assessing Misuse and Diversion of Opioids
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An adolescent or young adult’s first exposure to opioids often occurs following a third molar extraction, and even though 85%-90% of these patients find the experience unpleasant due to side effects, up to 15% are at risk for misuse, abuse, and addiction. To mitigate risk of opioid dependency it is imperative that dentists and oral surgeons are aware of the patients medical history, engage in pre-and postoperative discussions about pain and pain management expectations, discuss the risks and possible side effects of opioids, and balance compassionate care that manages suffering with safety.
Risk assessment tools such as the Opioid Risk Tool can be used as a complement to medical history, while checking the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) can determine whether a patient has had any aberrant prescription behaviors. This CME Outfitters Briefcase activity focuses on when to use validated tools to assess patients for risk of misuse and diversion of opioids as well as strategies for engaging patients in the management of their pain.
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What Should They Expect? Making Time to Talk to Patients About Pain Before Their Dental Procedure
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Recent studies have demonstrated the effectiveness and acceptability of reduction or the total elimination of opioids after discharge from minor surgery, with most patients who underwent a dental procedure or oral surgery reporting low pain scores. In the third installment of this CME Outfitters Briefcase series on non-opioid pain management, expert faculty share strategies for educating patients and managing their expectations, setting clear goals, as well as best practices for patient engagement. Further discussion illustrates the importance of post-operative follow-up and practical information on safe storage and disposal of unused medication. By engaging patients in an open discussion, clinicians effectively partner with their patients and the community as a whole to be a resource for health and wellness.
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CMEOCast: Best Practices: Applying Extended-Release MAT (or MOUD) in Real-World Settings
 Participate Now | The final episode of the three-part CMEOcast podcast series focuses on applying evidence-based strategies to initiating the use of extended-release MOUD in real-world settings, providing best practices for supporting the recovery process of individuals with OUD.
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CMEOCast: Helping Your Patients Over the Detox Hurdle: Strategies for Successful Outcomes
 Participate Now | In the second episode of this three-part CMEOcast podcast series, OUD experts discuss best practices for managing detoxification in patients transitioning to MAT from opioid dependence and how clinicians can implement them in their practice. |
CMEOCast: In It for the Long Game: Examining the Role of Extended-Release MAT (or MOUD) in Relapse Prevention in OUD
 Participate Now | The first episode in this three-part CMEOcast podcast series on best practices in OUD analyzes the latest clinical updates on the safety and efficacy of extended-release MAT for OUD in order to improve clinical outcomes for struggling patients |
CMEOCast: Talking Safety and NSAIDs
 Participate Now | This fourth and final episode in the series features expert faculty discussing the precautions to take when prescribing NSAIDs for acute and chronic pain. |
CMEOCast: Myth-Busting About NSAIDs and Bone Health
 Participate Now | The third episode of this CMEOCast series focuses on busting these myths about NSAIDs and bone health by applying evidence and guideline recommendations that support non-opioid pain management in treatment decision-making. |
CMEOCast: Patient Education to Manage Expectations About Pain and Pain Management
 Participate Now | This second episode in a CMEOCast series focuses on making informative treatment decisions for pain management in order to change habits and improve outcomes. As part of that process is to educate patients in order to manage their expectations, it features expert faculty discussing strategies on how to best assess patients for misuse and communicate necessary information with patients. |
CMEOCast: Can an Over the Counter Drug Really Take Care of Post-Operative Pain?
 Participate Now | In the first episode of this CMEOCast podcast series on practice guidelines for pain management, expert faculty discuss utilizing a validated tool to assess patients for risk of misuse and diversion of opioids, as well as applying evidence that supports non-opioid management and whether over the counter treatment options can adequately treat post-operative pain. |
Breaking the Ice: Talking to Your Patients About Naloxone
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Due to the considerable number of risk factors for overdose in patients with OUD or those on high dose opioids for chronic pain, it is imperative that health careprofessionals (HCPs) are familiar with the use of naloxone and its availability. Naloxone products for home use by patients or caregivers can reduce the risk of overdose deaths in both patients and household contacts; therefore, it is imperative that HCPs educate patients who are at risk for overdose on its role and means of administration. The final episode of this CMEOCast podcast series highlights the multitude of risk factors for opioid overdose that clinicians treating patients with chronic pain need to be aware of, as well as strategies for counseling patients about naloxone. |
A Collaborative Approach to Pain: Working with Your Patients to Reach an Informed Pain Management Plan
 Participate Now | There are currently 50 million Americans living with chronic pain, which can result in restrictions in mobility and daily activities, dependence on opioids, anxiety and depression, and reduced quality of life (QoL) leading to it being one of the most common reasons for seeking medical care.
This CMEOCast podcast focuses on educating clinicians to evaluate their current workflow for opioid prescribing, including incorporating best practice strategies that will optimize safe and competent prescribing and therefore minimize the potential for abuse and diversion. |
Are You Seeing the Whole Picture? Assessing Pain and the Multitude of Factors that Influence Pain Perception
 Participate Now | Knowledge of acute and chronic pain pathways and their underlying mechanisms are imperative to the fundamentals of pain management and provide a comprehensive framework for appropriate clinical assessment and management of pain. The first episode of this CMEOCast podcast series on the treatment and monitoring of pain features faculty focusing on the whole picture of pain assessment and the factors that influence pain perception with the goal of educating clinicians on how to apply their knowledge of pain pathways to better counsel and treat their patients with acute and chronic pain. |
The Role of the Pharmacist in Identifying Signs of Opioid Use Disorder
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The impact of opioids on the United States and its communities is a constantly growing burden and is challenging for patients and the health care community. Pharmacists are important members of the treatment team, particularly when it comes to addressing the opioid crisis. This CMEOCast podcast episode features expert faculty focused on the role of the pharmacist in communicating with patients about their prescribed opioids and in recommending and/or dispensing naloxone to individuals prescribed opioids who may be at risk for overdose, and available options for medicated assisted treatment (MAT). |
Team-Based Strategies to Address Patients’ Pain Needs
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While team-based care is the best approach to managing patients with pain, it is not always easy, with lack of communication and education often being the biggest concerns. Here, we examine the role of pharmacists in educating patients about their pain to optimize safe and effective treatment plans. |
The Addiction Policy Forum is a nationwide nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating addiction as a major health problem. Our national headquarters are located in Washington, DC with resources and services in every state.
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Brainstorming Opioid Addiction through Merged Perspectives: Learnings from Roundtable Discussions
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According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, 115 people die each day in the United States due to an opioid overdose. To better understand the nation’s current epidemic, CME Outfitters recently brought together the perspectives of those most impacted by opioids in hopes of creating more effective strategies to avoid addiction in the coming years. These roundtable discussions, hosted by CME Outfitters, first pulled the experiences of both patients and their loved ones who have been affected by opioid dependency. Read more about the the four key takeaways that we learned. |
From Analytics to Understanding: A Look Into Our 3D Pain Animation’s Debut at CME Outfitters’ Opioid Epidemic Premiere Symposium
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Family medicine providers are uniquely qualified to lead the charge for precise and responsible prescribing for acute and chronic pain. Family medicine is at the forefront of managing chronic illness, handling comorbidities, and coordinating care for their patients. A recent live meeting held at the Pennsylvania Academy of Family Physicians (PAFP) used an animated 3-D model that learners were able to move, rotate, and zoom as they explored acute and chronic pain pathways. |