The Safe Opioid Prescribing Program, organized by Co- Directors Dr. Abimanyu Sud and Dr. Kate Hodgson, is designed to support physicians and other primary care providers to develop multi-modal approaches to complex chronic pain.
This innovative blended learning flipped classroom program has four components: three interactive synchronous webinars (Assessing Complex Chronic Pain, Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain, and Addressing Opioid Challenges and Addictions) followed by a one-day problem-based learning small group workshop. Each cohort of participants includes 50-75 physicians and other health care providers who can prescribe opioids for chronic pain. Three cohorts are run each year.
During the webinar modules participants uses case studies, interactive team discussion, and practice tools to assess patients to recognize the complex illness experience of chronic pain. They develop multi-modal approaches to manage chronic pain, which can include effective opioid therapy for different chronic pain conditions. More complex patient scenarios with risk of addiction are explored during the third webinar module. The fourth module is a small group workshop that highlights challenging cases in opioid use and misuse. Participants build on the knowledge and expertise from the first three webinars and utilize role playing to practice implementing changes. Through extensive collegial collaboration on challenging case scenarios, participants develop the skills to manage challenges around opioid prescribing and addressing addiction with pharmacists, acute care physicians, and pain and addiction specialists.
