April 23, 2019
In response to an opioid crisis that had reached full epidemic status by 2016, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published a set of guidelines for hospitals, health systems, and physicians to follow when prescribing prescription opioids.
While nonbinding, these suggestions were adopted by many states across the country looking to tackle the opioid epidemic in a more cohesive manner. Since then, the question has remained: Are these guidelines effective in reducing patient risk?
A Mix of Success from the Guidelines
Across the board, federal and state guidelines generally have adopted five main steps for physicians needing to assess the risk of substance abuse in a patient. These steps have been adopted by many organizations across the country, including the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the Federation of State Medical Boards:
So why are PDMP checks and drug tests so underutilized if they’re the most effective way to assess patient risk? One, because they’re time-consuming from the physician’s point of view. Drug tests are not immediate responses and even after the results come back, it can be difficult to consult the PDMP to find all the information needed to assess the risk.
The second reason is that there is no proof that patient monitoring with PDMP checks and drug tests causes a decrease in risk for abuse. The CDC guidelines are new enough that up until recently, there hasn’t been a study done to follow patient opioid abuse risk through a round of monitoring by the CDC guidelines.
This exact topic is what Gina Cooper of Community Health Network and Scott LaNeve of hc1.com will be covering at this year’s Executive War College. Together they will be setting the stage for what our current guideline systems enforce and what kind of effect they can have on patients over time. Mark your calendars for this presentation to learn more about how the CDC’s Opioid Management Guidelines can have an effect on a patient’s risk score over time.
Understanding the Opioid Epidemic: Size of the Problem, Challenging Requirements for Patient Management, and Ways for Labs to Add Value to Physicians, Payers, and Patients
Where: Sheraton Hotel – New Orleans, LA
When: Tuesday, April 30 – 7:30 AM – 8:20 AM