Yes the prescription drugs issue needs answers, but the plan needs to have everyone on board. The insurance carriers need to be involved to pay for some of the alternative meds, e.g. Celebrex. The cardiologists need to be on board with the use of NSAIDs. Currently they are not.this will leave treating docs in a corner, with no where to go. As an orthopedist , it’s hard to treat patients effectively now. A plan, poorly thought out, that doesn’t have everyone on board looks good on paper, but will yield poor treatment. Pts may suffer.
By Mike Getter on Nov 19, 2016 at 10:26am
Opioid abuse is certainly a problem and I can see the development of treatment guidelines to limit the potential of abuse. I do think that CME requirements for those of us who prescribe controlled substances on an infrequent basis is unnecessary. Could the board perhaps develop some threshold for a CME requirement; perhaps any provider who writes over 24 controlled substance prescriptions a year OR any provider who ever prescribes more than 30 opioid tablets in a single prescription OR who issues more than 2 controlled substance prescriptions per year for the same patient. I write perhaps 12-15 controlled substance prescriptions in 12 months; these are often for 10-12 tablets. I cannot see how Opioid R/X CME will improve my practice or reduce the “epidemic.”
By Wiley Cockrell, MD on Nov 21, 2016 at 9:12am
Chronic pain is not the only mechanism for opioid prescription abuse. Cough syrup containing oxycodon or hydrocodon is mixed w anything and everything (benzodiazepines, Soma and other muscle relaxants, Tramadol etc ) by patients for a high. Cough syrups need to be addressed by the CDC and NCMB and the Board of Pharmacy.
By Robbie Bracken MD on Jan 13, 2017 at 9:03pm
