Physician efforts to reverse opioid epidemic quantified

When patients present with issues, physicians look to the most effective tools for treatment. The same is true in addressing an epidemic. While much more work remains to reverse the nation ’s opioid epidemic, using tools such as prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMP), medication-assisted treatment and naloxone, physicians are making progress. A new fact sheet provides some evidence of that progress on a number of fronts.Focused prescribing practices In a fact sheet released by the AMA,physicians ’ progress to reverse the nation’s opioid epidemic was quantified showing new trends in the use of available tools. The data was collected from AMA surveys, IMS Health, the Drug Enforcement Administration Office of Diversion Control (DEA), the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Association (SAMHSA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the American Journal of Public Health. In October 2015, the AMA and many medical and other health care organizationsjoined the President in Charleston, W.Va., to commit to clear metrics to reduce the nation ’s opioid epidemic. Though there is still more to be done, the numbers show some progress. Every state in the nation saw a reduction in opioid prescribing in 2015, which amounted to a 10.6 percent decrease nationally, IMS Health reported. Though these decreases are important, physicians need to ensure that patients with pain receive comprehensive —and compassionate—treatment. While the nation’s opio...
Source: AMA Wire - Category: Journals (General) Authors: Source Type: news