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The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP) has launched a new interactive online course, Pathways to Safer Opioid Use. This training course has been developed as part of HHS’ national action plan on adverse drug events (ADEs), including opioid-related events, which encourages nationwide efforts to coordinate Federal resources and activities that will reduce preventable ADEs and increase awareness of the importance of medication safety. ASA commented on the action plan when it was first drafted and provided recommendations on implementing the plan at an invitation-only HHS conference. The final action plan is available to be viewed online.
This online course is designed to teach health care providers how to apply health literacy strategies to help patients prevent opioid-related ADEs; identify individual risk factors, medications, and interactions that place patients at higher risk of ADEs; recognize the importance of a team-based approach to treating patients with chronic pain; and combine the principles of the Health Literate Care Model and the biopsychosocial model of chronic pain medicine. Participants who complete the course can earn free Continuing Medical Education (CME).
As part of ASA’s efforts to reduce the misuse and abuse of prescription drugs, ASA collaborated with the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy to develop a wallet-sized card describing the signs and symptoms of an overdose and instructions for assisting a person suspected of an overdose. ASA also continues to work closely with federal government agencies, medical societies, and other pain care stakeholders in support of efforts that will curb prescription drug abuse while ensuring patient access to needed medications. These efforts include supporting prescription drug monitoring programs, enhancing physician education on pain care, and increasing research directed at pain medicine therapies.
