Join the ME SUD Learning Community for the June 25, 2024 PMP Series presentation “The 2022 CDC Clinical Practice Guidelines for Prescribing Opioids for Pain: Context, Overview, Application, and Policy Implications” presented by Dr. Andrew Suchocki, MD, MPH and Nedejda Razi Robertson, PhD, LCSW.

Join the ME SUD Learning Community for the June 18, 2024 PMP webinar “Prescribing Buprenorphine: What is the Role and Risk of the Monoproduct in Maintenance Therapy for Opioid Use Disorder (OUD)?” presented by Andrea Truncali, MD, MPH and Stephanie Nichols, PharmD, MPH, BCPP

Join the ME SUD Learning Community in the PMP Series June 11 2024, webinar “Integrative Pain Management” presented by Samuel Madore, DO.

Stimulant Treatment for Adult ADHD: Applying the Evidence to People with SUDs | Leah Bauer, MD, FASAM and Andrea Truncali, MD, MPH | March 12, 2024

There have been increasing rates of ADHD treatment nationwide, with non-expert providers becoming increasingly involved in diagnosis and treatment. At the same time, ADHD disproportionately affects people with substance use disorders and greatly increases the potential risk for developing, activating, or continuing a stimulant use disorder. In this presentation, we will explore the diagnosis and treatment of adult ADHD alongside substance use disorder.

Objectives

• Raise awareness of the complexity of ADHD diagnosis
• Understand evidence or treatment of adult ADHD alone and with SUD
• Understand the potential harms of treating adult ADHD with stimulant medication

 Legal Issues and Controlled Substance Prescribing: How to Make It Work for ME | August 29, 2023 | Ben Townsend, Esquire, Elisabeth Fowlie Mock, MD, and Eric Haram, LADC

This webinar will build upon previous webinars on the topics of legal and regulatory requirements for controlled substance prescribing in Maine. In addition, ways to approach the prescribing of controlled substances from an office and organization level will be discussed. Time will be available to ask questions and offer up best practices.

Objectives

• • Understand the “Mandatory Use” and “Higher-Risk Prescriber” monitoring being done by the PMP
  • Review Maine laws and rules related to opioid and other controlled substance prescribing
  • Compare “Universal Precautions” policies and workflows intended to maximize patient safety and minimize prescriber risk

Strategies for Solving the Opioid Epidemic and Treatment of Acute Pain | August 15, 2023 | Curt Cyr, Ph.D., RPh

In both 2021 and 2022, there were more than 100,000 overdose deaths in the United States. In 2020, 75% of the overdose deaths involved opioids, and synthetic opioids (excluding methadone) were responsible for 82% of the opioid deaths. The opioid prescribing rate in the U.S. peaked and has been declining since 2012, but the morphine milligram equivalents (MME) prescribed per person are still approximately three times higher than in 1999. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states, “The best ways to prevent opioid overdose deaths are to improve opioid prescribing, reduce exposure to opioids, prevent misuse, and treat opioid use disorder.”

In addition to reviewing the CDC data on the opioid crisis nationwide and in Maine, this talk will present Prescription Monitoring Program data from the 16 counties in Maine for the last five years, including data by the prescriber’s profession and the total number of opioid prescriptions as they relate to the population and the number of overdose deaths in each county. The total number of oxycodone and hydrocodone prescriptions for each county will also be presented.

The goal of the seminar is to inform healthcare professionals about the use of opioids for treating acute and chronic pain in Maine and present an alternative for treating pain with Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) and acetaminophen using data from the University of New England’s Oral Health Clinic. Dentists at UNE reduced the number of opioid prescriptions by 95% from 2016 to 2021.

Objectives:

• Examine the current state of the opioid crisis in the United States and Maine.
• Discuss opioid prescribing patterns in Maine, using Prescription Monitoring Program data for the prescriber’s profession and the total number of opioids prescribed, as they relate to the population and the number of overdose deaths in each county.
• Discuss the total number of oxycodone and hydrocodone prescriptions dispensed in relation to the population and the number of overdoses in each county in Maine.
• Describe Chapter 11: Rules Governing the Controlled Substances Prescription Monitoring Program and Prescription of Opioid Medications in the State of Maine.
• Discuss the Centers for Disease Control Clinical Practice Guidelines for Prescribing Opioids for Pain (2022).
• Describe the mechanism of action of opioids, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and acetaminophen.
• Discuss strategies for treating acute dental pain with non-opioid analgesics.
• Discuss potential solutions for solving the opioid crisis using data from UNE’s Oral Health Clinic, Maine’s PMP data, and case-based learning.

Safe and Effective Opioid Practices in the Hospital: Pharmacy Perspective | August 8, 2023 | Whitney Jandreau, PharmD, BCPS

Learn about various clinical applications in which inpatient pharmacies improve patient care and opioid medication safety. Within the realms of medication reconciliation, pain management, substance use disorder, and end of life, we will discuss pharmacotherapy pearls and medication safety best practices, including inpatient pharmacy utilization of the Prescription Monitoring Program.

Objectives

Discuss inpatient pharmacy roles, pharmacotherapy pearls, and medication safety best practices for:

• Medication Reconciliation
• Pain Management
• Substance Use Disorder
• End of Life

Colorado’s Experience with Cannabis: A Public Health Perspective| July 25, 2023 | Richard Holdman, MD

In 2014, the State of Colorado allowed cannabis to be sold to the public via regulated, licensed retail dispensaries. Over these past nine years, as directed by Colorado statute, a group of professionals has met on a quarterly basis to evaluate the ever-changing science behind cannabis use, investigate epidemiological trends related to cannabis use in Colorado, and provide public health recommendations based on these findings.

Objectives

• Be able to describe cannabis use trends in the State of Colorado since legalization across various populations.
• Understand how Colorado’s Department of Public Health utilizes epidemiologic data and scientific literature reviews to inform prevention and education efforts.
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Medication Deprescribing and Chronic Pain Care | July 11, 2023 | Eva Quirion, NP, PhD

This lecture will focus on identifying different types of pain and evidence-based treatment for those with chronic pain. We will also discuss the mechanics of opioid and benzodiazepine tapering and how to safely and legally deprescribe controlled medications.

Objectives

Participants will be able to:

• describe and differentiate between nociceptive pain, neurological pain, and centralized pain.
• name at least one research-based non-opioid treatment for each of the three major categories of pain.
• calculate a safe tapering schedule for both opioids and benzodiazepines.

Managing Legacy Patients on Controlled Substances: Compassionate, Evidence-Based Responses | June 27, 2023 | Noah Nesin, MD, FAAFP

Learn strategies for inheriting patients with chronic pain and guidelines for compassionate tapering. We’ll also introduce you to the Schmidt Institute’s Controlled Substance Stewardship Program.

Objectives

• Understand that safety and compassion underly the work of de-prescribing opioids and benzodiazepines.
• Understand that use disorders and physiologic dependence are not categorical and that we must regularly assess for addiction in people on long-term controlled substances.
• Learn practical approaches to tapering opioids and benzodiazepines in newly established patients.

PMP Tools to Improve Controlled Substance Prescribing | June 6, 2023 | Elisabeth Fowlie Mock, MD

A tour of the many tools to assist prescribers with evaluating the risks and benefits of controlled substance prescribing, particularly those to assess for higher-risk prescribing practices.

Objectives

• • Review multiple tools available to the prescriber in the PMP
  • Investigate the requirement to check the PMP and its application
  • Evaluate peer group comparisons and higher-risk prescribing metrics