PharmacyForward

Opioid Overdose Crisis (III)

Carol Ott, Pharm.D., BCPP - Clinical Professor of Pharmacy Practice, Purdue University College of Pharmacy and Residency Program Director for the Eskenazi Health/Purdue University PGY2 Psychiatric Pharmacy Residency Program - discusses how sigma adversely impacts patients with opioid use disorder and how the BoilerwoRx program is helping to address the opioid crises at the community level.

Key Lessons

• Health professionals too often use stigmatizing language when describing patients with a substance use disorder and their behaviors.
• We need to critically examine our unconscious biases toward patients with substance use disorder.
• Substance use disorders are most often co-morbid with other mental health conditions.
• Needle exchange programs are an evidence-based intervention that can reduce harm by preventing the spread of infectious diseases and be an important touchpoint to get people into treatment.
• There are numerous ways pharmacists can help patients with substance use disorders - approaching them with empathy, volunteering, and using evidence-based resources to guide care and combat misinformation.

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Opioid Overdose Crisis (II)

Suzanne Nesbit, Pharm.D., BCPS - Clinical Pharmacy Specialist in Pain and Palliative Care at the Johns Hopkins Health System - and Lucas Hill, Pharm.D., BCPS, BCACP - Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Texas at Austin and Director of Operation Naloxone - discuss how to improve patient safety by implementing opioid stewardship and harm-reduction strategies.

Key Lessons

• Opioid stewardship requires multiple components starting first with a commitment to change and includes opioid prescribing guidelines, provider feedback, and patient education.
• Discussing the goals of therapy, intended treatment duration, and realistic expectations with patients when opioids are prescribed is critical.
• Patients at high risk of opioid overdose should receive naloxone and trained how to use it.
• Naloxone standing orders or collaborative practice agreements can facilitate access.
• Information from prescription drug monitoring programs can be helpful during the medication review process but providers must recognize their limitations.
• Pain relief requires a patient-specific approach. Patients with a substance use disorder deserve to have their pain addressed too.

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Opioid Overdose Crisis (I)

Jeffrey Bratberg, Pharm.D., BCPS - Professor of Pharmacy Practice at the University of Rhode Island talks with us about the opioid overdose crisis - it's causes and potential solutions.

Key Lessons

• The causes of the opioid overdose crisis are multifactorial but rooted in hopeless and despair
• Illicitly obtained synthetic opioids are very potent and the leading cause of opioid overdose deaths today
• Opioid use disorder is a brain disease and all patients deserve compassionate care
• The response to the opioid overdose crisis (to date) has been anemic due to societal stigma and unconscious bias
• Supply-side solutions (e.g. prescription drug monitoring programs) to the problem may seem helpful but have unintended consequences
• Naloxone should be widely available and all health professionals should carry it

View and Download the ShowNotes!