Non-Prescribing Clinicians: What is Our Role in Helping Curb the
Opioid Epidemic? (Recorded Webinar)
Presented by Dan Rhon
This course is a recording of a previously hosted live webinar event. Polling and question submission features are not available for this recording. Format and structure may differ from standard MedBridge courses. There is a growing body of evidence revealing the dangers of opioid medication as well as the questionable effectiveness of these same agents in managing chronic pain. Their once unquestionable ability to effectively manage severe pain is now being challenged, and new insights suggest they may not be the panacea they were once thought to be for managing pain. The adverse and downstream side effects are far reaching and extensive. The opioid epidemic reflects an inability to effectively manage pain. This course provides a background on societal, regulatory, and cultural pathways that led to the opioid epidemic, and how clinicians can get involved to be a part of the solution.
Meet your instructor
Dan Rhon
Dr. Dan Rhon is a clinician, active researcher, and assistant professor at Baylor University in Texas. He received an MPT and DSc through Baylor University and then a DPT through Temple University. He attended a manual therapy clinical fellowship at Brooke Army Medical Center in Texas, is a fellow in the American Academy of…
Chapters & learning objectives
1. Opioid Use for Pain Management in the Health System
Over the last two decades, the use of opioids for pain management have led to what has been termed an “epidemic” by the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Three distinct waves lead to tremendous number of deaths from overdose. The problem will be framed against the backdrop of society, pharmaceutical companies, and models of health care delivery. This chapter will provide an overview of the history of opium leading up to its current use in traditional medicine for the management of pain. The risk of misuse was initially thought to be very low (~1%), but it turns out the risk is much higher, closer to 30-40%.
2. A Refresher on Pain
In order to understand the current opioid problem, and because the primary goal of opioid therapy is pain relief, it is critical to have a solid understanding of what exactly pain is. It often comes across as a fairly objective perception; however, it is much more subjective and the pain experience can vary widely between individuals. Only with a solid understanding of nociception mechanisms and the physiology behind the pain experience can someone truly understand the benefit and limitations of opioids to manage pain.
3. Opioid Mechanisms: Physiology and Efficacy
This chapter will provide a foundation for defining opioids and understanding their mechanisms of action. It will review how they work in the human system, as well as their purported mechanisms for delivering analgesia, how it affects the central and peripheral nervous systems. The biological and physiological mechanisms for analgesia appear fairly straight forward, but what do clinical trials tell us about the effectiveness of opioids for managing chronic non-cancer pain? Understanding the capabilities and limitations of opioids will help improve the conversations clinicians have with their patients about expectations with their use.
4. The Down-Side: Adverse Effects and Associated Comorbidities
The most commonly discussed consequence of opioid use is overdose, which can lead to death. However, opioids influence many different body systems and adversely affects health in many different ways. In addition to the more common short-term adverse events, such as nausea, constipation, vomiting, and respiratory depression, other longer-term effects can influence health and must be considered. This is important information for clinicians to understand so that they can better inform patients of the long-term consequence of opioid use.
5. The Role of Non-Physician Providers in Managing Pain
At the end of the day, knowledge that can lead to meaningful action is of most value. The evidence is overwhelming, but clinicians are often at a loss for what to do. As this often appears as a prescription management problem, clinicians that are not credentialed to prescribe narcotics often feel helpless about what they can do. The truth is that proper management of chronic pain can reduce opioid use, and all clinicians can contribute. Success will only come from a truly interdisciplinary approach. Properly identifying and addressing factors that may contribute to the chronic pain experience (e.g., sleep, nutrition, physical activity, psychosocial factors), can reduce the need for opioid utilization.
6. Q&A
This is a viewer submitted question and answer session, which will be facilitated by Dan Rhon.
Frequently asked questions
Everything you need to know about Medbridge courses.
Who creates Medbridge courses?
We work with industry-leaders, top researchers, and consultants to build content roadmaps that are then structured into courses, filmed, and edited by our production team before being launched to our site.
How often does Medbridge release new courses?
New courses are added monthly and are automatically included in your subscription as they launch.
How often does Medbridge update courses?
Medbridge reviews its courses annually for relevance and to assess if content is up to date. Based on these reviews it may be determined that a course is out of date resulting in the course being re-filmed or retired, if the content is no longer needed (e.g. a replacement course already exists, the concepts are no longer best practice, etc.).
How many courses does Medbridge offer?
We have over 3,000 accredited courses and we are continually updating our library with new courses. Check our course library for the most up-to-date count for your discipline.
Are there any additional fees for taking a Medbridge course?
There are no additional fees for taking a Medbridge course, obtaining a course certificate of completion, earning CEUs as a subscriber, or accessing any of the additional tools your subscription may include.
Is there a limit to the number of courses I can take?
There is no limit to the number of courses you can take as a subscriber! As a subscriber to Medbridge, you have unlimited access to over 3,000+ accredited CE courses.
If you are a Premium subscriber, you also have unlimited access to our Patient Engagement Tools such as the Home Exercise Program, Patient Education Library, Orthopedic Exam Tests, and Manual Therapy Techniques. We have over 7,000 exercises and over 650+ videos and handouts of patient education resources with more exercises and patient education added to the library based on subscriber feedback, volume of request and specialities.
What is your refund policy?
You are eligible for a refund provided your request is received within 30 days of your subscription purchase and your account has no activity.