Opioids and Chronic Non-Cancer Pain Strategies Doctors Need to Know Before Prescribing
The activist group Physicians for Responsible Opioid Prescribing cites three popular myths doctors must stop believing regarding chronic opioid therapy:
Myth: Chronic opioid therapy is supported by extensive evidence and research. Fact: Evidence of the long-term effectiveness of chronic opioid therapy is limited and much research had been called into question. Myth: Opioid dependence can only occur if a patient is prescribed high doses over several months. Fact: Dependence can occur within a few weeks or even mere days with daily use. Myth: High dose therapy — at least 120 mg of morphine per day — is supported by strong evidence. Fact: No randomized trials have shown the long-term effectiveness of high dose therapy in treating CNCP. As doctors try to navigate between helping their patients and inadvertently opening the door to addition, it would be wise to take advice from the journal Current Psychiatry: “Multidisciplinary care paired with psychological interventions and a treatment plan has some evidence of efficacy in treating pain in patients with chronic non-cancer pain at high risk of substance abuse.” Treating pain should not end with a prescription. Doctors have a responsibility to educate themselves about pain and opioid addiction by partnering with specialists who can aid in treating pain without increasing the risk of addiction.
Chronic non-cancer pain (CNCP) is one of the most challenging conditions doctors treat. Sometimes the only pain-management tool a doctor has in their arsenal is prescription opioids. Opioid prescriptions have risen drastically over the last 10 years. The Centers for Disease Control estimate providers wrote 250 million opioid prescriptions in 2013 alone, enough for every adult in the U.S. to have a bottle in their medicine cabinet. Unfortunately, opioid abuse rose alongside the prescriptions. Research from the American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians reports over twice as many chronic pain patients treated with opioids develop illicit drug use when compared to patients not treated with opioids. Doctors must be careful when looking into options for treating pain, as trends indicate prescribing opioids may do more harm than good. Today, a patient dies from opioid overdose every 24 minutes.
book review ‘Five Keys to Powerful Business Relationships’
Manage yourself before others. Individuals who leave a greater impact on the workplace are those who have worked on themselves first.
Sallie Sherman, expert B2B strategist and founder of S4 Consulting, teams up with Joseph Sperry, an authority on relationship management programs, and Steve Vucelich, customer relationship strategist. Together, these “Relationship Masters” combine decades of experience and firsthand knowledge to create a guide for building strong business relationships in five steps. Every relationship, whether personal or professional, takes time to establish and grow. There’s no quick trick for building powerful business relationships, but these five keys offer insight into what makes strong relationships thrive:
Through personal anecdotes, interviews, and scientific research, Sherman, Sperry, and Vucelich present a detailed account for including each of these keys into your own life. A quick, informative read, “Five Keys to Powerful Business Relationships” is a must have for both managers and individuals looking to establish strong, dependable relationships in the business world.
Connect first, then focus on the task. Before any work can be done, people must connect.
resource of the month Each month, I want to make sure we are providing you with as much useful information as possible. Look for these additional helpful links in each month’s newsletter to help keep you informed, and as always, feel free to give us a call!
Learn by walking in another’s shoes. By taking the time to “walk in someone else’s shoes,” teams can learn to better understand and respect each other, creating powerful relationships. Understand that whether or not people trust you is often up to you. Sincerity, reliability, and competence are all necessary to extend trust to others, as well as helping your team better trust you.
Pain Management Resource of the Month — www.asipp.org
Share information to increase personal power. Open information invites other team members to offer their own ideas and promotes company success.
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www.njbackpainmd.com
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