Learn more about
opioid prevention
Community members
can hear practical information and stories from people with lived experience.
Healthcare professionals
including physicians, nurses, physical therapists, psychologists and other care providers, can build skills that support safe, compassionate and patient-centered care.
Accreditation information
Healthcare professionals seeking continuing education credit must complete the accredited course through PIM. The free, eight-hour CME program meets the DEA-required training requirement under the MATE Act. Complete the accredited course through PIM.
The modules bring together specialists in pain management and addiction medicine with people who have lived experience of acute or chronic pain and opioid use disorder.
Topics included
• The history and science of pain and opioid use
• Comprehensive pain assessment
• Pain psychology, physical therapy and integrative care
• Interventional procedures and nonopioid medications
• Opioid benefits, risks and responsible prescribing
• Buprenorphine for pain and opioid use disorder
• Supportive conversations, screening, treatment and referrals for substance use disorders
Watch at your own pace to build understanding, reduce stigma and learn practical ways to support yourself and your community.
1. Introduction: The Interface of Pain and Opioids
Susan M. Ferron, MD and Georgia E. Panopoulos, PhD
Objectives:
1. Review the parallel developments of pain management and the opioid epidemic in the US.
2. Introduce the overall objectives of the program.
02. Neurobiology of Pain
Miles J. Belgrade, MD
Objectives:
1. Describe the pathways of pain transmission and pain modulation in the nervous system
2. Explain how pain can persist as a pathologic state
3. Name current pain management strategies that target specific pain mechanisms
03. Comprehensive Pain Assessment
Miles J. Belgrade, MD
Objectives:
1. Formulate a comprehensive pain assessment that identifies the pathophysiology, the time course, contributing factors, and barriers.
2. Name treatments and strategies specific to the different pain physiologic types.
3. Identify common mistakes clinicians make when treating chronic pain (the 7 deadly sins).
4–6. Interdisciplinary Care for Pain: The Role of Pain Psychology, Physical Therapy and Integrative Health
Georgia E. Panopoulos, PhD, LP
Jill M. Lawrence, PT, DPT
Sara F. Hall, CNS-A
Objectives:
1. Review assessment of pain using neurobiological framework
2. Identify appropriate referrals for pain psychology, physical therapy, and integrative health
3. Encourage nonpharmacologic treatment upstream for pain
4. Review how to improve communication across disciplines in pain care
5. Review how to reduce unnecessary imaging and medication escalation
Module Resources
Interdisciplinary Care for Pain: The Role of Pain Psychology, Physical Therapy, and Integrative Health Resources
07. Interventional Pain Procedures
Andrew L. Schakel, DO
Objectives:
1. Define interventional pain procedure.
2. Review indications and contraindications.
3. Review risks and side effects.
4. Discuss common interventional pain procedures.
08. Nonopioid Medications for Pain Management
Susan M. Ferron, MD
Objectives:
1. To understand general principles of medication prescribing in pain management.
2. To understand mechanisms of action, risks and benefits, and dosing of nonopioid medications that can be used by all providers who manage pain.
3. To become aware of the potential for misuse of some nonopioid medications for pain.
09. Opioids: Pharmacology, Benefits, and Risks
Susan M. Ferron, MD
Objectives:
1. To understand our endogenous opioid system and its interface with exogenous opioids.
2. To understand the risks and benefits of opioid therapy when using full opioid agonists, and to compare these with the risks and benefits of buprenorphine, a mixed agonist/antagonist opioid.
3. To become familiar with use of buprenorphine for acute and chronic pain.
10. Responsible Prescribing - Part 1
Susan M. Ferron, MD
Objectives:
1. To become familiar with major guidelines for responsible opioid prescribing.
2. To understand how to assess risks of opioid prescribing for any particular patient.
11. Responsible Prescribing - Part 2
Susan M. Ferron, MD
Objectives:
1. To understand how opioids can be prescribed in a way such that analgesia is optimal while risks of opioids are minimized.
2. To understand how to mitigate risks of opioids that will always be present, regardless of the extent to which they are minimized.
Module Resources
• Responsible Opioid Prescribing Parts I and II
• Approaching Substance Use Disorders
12. Approaching Substance Use Disorders
Russell B. Spingarn, MD
Objectives:
1. To be able to screen and diagnose substance use disorders with appropriate tools.
2. To be able to have empathetic and productive conversations with patients about their substance use.
3. To be able to initiate treatment for substance use disorders and refer appropriately.
Module Resources
• Responsible Opioid Prescribing Parts I and II
• Approaching Substance Use Disorders
Accreditation information
Healthcare professionals seeking continuing education credit must complete the accredited course through PIM. The free, eight-hour CME program meets the DEA-required training requirement under the MATE Act. Complete the accredited course through PIM.
Acknowledgements
Kristine M. Bettin
Nicholas J. Dodge
Lewis M. Hunt
Justin M. McNeal
Elizabeth L. Richardson
Michael G. Tibbetts
Anoka County Opioid Solutions Initiative
Patricia A. Constant, Senior Program Manager
HealthPartners
Jimmy J. Bellamy
Alfred L. Clavel, Jr., MD (retired)
Bret C. Haake, MD
Christine M. McDonnell, DNP
Nathan R. Norquist, MD
Rachel L. Starkman
Northwest Alliance of Allina Health and HealthPartners
Kristi M. Ryman, Director
Triumph Productions
Cy Dodson
Megan Thompson