Page 41 - Delaware Medical Journal - July/August 2020

PUBLIC HEALTH
Evidence in recent clinical trials
also suggests that certain non- pharmacological pain management modalities, including physical therapy, exercise therapy, chiropractic care, acupuncture, yoga, massage, and cognitive behavioral therapy — often in combination — are effective and successful in mitigating chronic pain.
We know that managing patients’ chronic pain is challenging, but we want to make it easier for you to safely help your patients. That’s why we developed an entire section on HelpIsHereDE.com for health care providers. The provider section offers more than 30 information fact sheets, as well as pain and risk assessments, consent form examples, algorithms for prescribing, patient education handouts, and many other materials. The following topics are also covered:
• News and updates
• Regulations and monitoring
• Patient agreements
• Safe prescribing guidelines
• Non-opioid alternatives for pain
management
• Information on recognizing and
supporting patients with substance
use disorder
• Resources for obstetricians, dentists,
pediatricians, surgeons, and
pharmacists
• Downloadable forms and educational
materials for providers and patients
Providers can download materials or order printed copies free of charge, to share internally and incorporate into their practices. We have also added new materials specific to non-opioid pain management options, which were mailed to providers in April 2020.
We also encourage providers to follow the recommendations below, which are based on those issued by the CDC:
• Educate patients and their families about the risks of using opioid medications.
• Increase the use of evidence-based tools available on HelpIsHereDE.com.
• Register for, and use, the Delaware PMP as required by law.
• Assess each patient’s risk for misuse
or abuse of opioid medications in the PMP by reviewing patient history for multiple prescriptions, prescriptions written by multiple providers, and dangerous co-prescribing of opioids and benzodiazepines.
• Prescribe opioids only when absolutely necessary, and limit quantity and dose.
• Before prescribing opioids, consider non-opioid pain relief medication options and non-pharmacological pain management therapies, such as physical therapy, chiropractic care, and yoga.
Combatting this epidemic is a priority. Behind the data are real people, whose lives are forever changed by addiction.
Opioid addiction affects a wide array
of individuals, from high school
athletes to blue-collar workers to highly educated professionals. Without ongoing treatment, lives are turned upside down when substance use disorder leads to joblessness, homelessness, unintended pregnancy, crime, health problems, and the disintegration of family relationships.
You are the key to saving Delawareans’ lives. By looking at your own prescribing practices more closely, considering non-opioid alternatives to chronic pain management, and taking advantage of available resources, you can help stem
the tide of addiction. We look forward to partnering with you to mitigate this crisis.
CONTRIBUTING AUTHOR
■ KARYLRATTAY,MD,MSistheDirectorof the Division of Public Health at the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services.
Del Med J | July/August 2020 | Vol. 92 | No. 4
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