Experts explain how to end opioid overdose epidemic

The nation has seen a four-fold increase in opioid deaths in the last decade, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)—and physicians stand on the front lines of this national health crisis. During the 2015 AMA Interim Meeting, physician experts recently discussed actions you can take now to help combat the opioid epidemic and improve patient care. Rethinking prescribing practices, effectively using PDMPs CDC Director Thomas Frieden, MD, was among a panel of experts who offered actionable solutions to help curb the nation’s high rate of opioid overdoses. He noted that the rise in opioid-related deaths and abuse directly correlates with an increase in the prescribing of opioids. Unless physicians adopt improved practices for prescribing for pain, he said the nation will continue to struggle with addiction. That’s why he recommends that every physician should view prescribing an opiate as a “momentous decision,” in which they should carefully assess whether the opioid is an essential form of treatment. One way physicians can better assess whether to prescribe an opioid is to effectively use prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs), said Sharon Meieran, MD, a lead physician from the Emergency Department for Emergency Psychiatric Services at Kaiser Sunnyside Medical Center in Oregon. “Different specialties have their unique challenges, but we all share the common goal of wanting to take care of our patients and wanting to keep th...
Source: AMA Wire - Category: Journals (General) Authors: Source Type: news