Managing Risk When Prescribing Narcotic Painkillers
This course has expired and is available for content purposes only.
This CME activity explores the rise in legal issues that could result in mismanagement of opioids for the treatment of pain. According to a study of Massachusetts death files for 1990 to 2003, opioid-related fatal poisoning rates increased by 529%. Similar studies confirm that this is not an issue limited to Massachusetts but is a national and international problem. The use of opioids, more commonly known as narcotics, have continued to increase for the management of pain. Physicians need to be aware of the legal concerns of pain management and actionable steps they can take in their practice that may reduce that risk such as:
- Setup systems to identify and monitor patients for potential drug abuse
- Enter into pain management contracts with patients
- Identify when to refer to a certified pain specialist
- Understand the potential legal consequences of terminating the physician-patient relationship
Learning Objectives
- Review data on the magnitude of the opioid issues in Massachusetts and elsewhere in the country.
- Describe some successfully implemented strategies to cope with this epidemic rise in opioid addiction.
- Explore risk management methods for practitioners to that may limit potential liability exposure.
Course Fees
MMS Member Physicians: Free
Nonmember Physicians: Free
Allied Health Professionals: Free
This activity meets the criteria of the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Medicine for risk management credit, including 1 credit in effective pain management and prescribing of controlled substances.
Format: Text
CME Credit: 1
AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™,
risk management study
The Massachusetts Medical Society designates this enduring material for a maximum of 1
AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
. Physicians should claim only credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
PAs may claim a maximum of 1 Category 1 credits for completing this activity. NCCPA accepts
AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
from organizations accredited by ACCME or a recognized state medical society.
This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint providership of the Massachusetts Medical Society and the Lawyers Weekly, Inc.
The Massachusetts Medical Society is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
A score of 70% or higher is required to receive
AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
.
Activity Term
Start: June 28, 2011
End: July 31, 2017
System requirements:
Desktops/Laptops
Windows, XP, Vista, 7, 8
Mac OSX 10.6 higher
Most modern browsers including:
IE8,9,10
Firefox 18.0+
Chrome 26+
Safari 5+
Flash player is required for some Online CME courses.
Mobile/Tablet
iOS devices beginning with OS version 5 or higher (includes, iPhone, ipad and iTouch devices)
Android devices including tablets and phones.
Windows RT and tablets on Windows 8 are also supported.
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