Opioid REMS Education: A Guide for the Interprofessional Team in Achieving Comprehensive Pain Management

This educational activity is highly relevant to clinicians who frequently practice as part of the interprofessional team in treating patients with pain in hospitals, health systems and ambulatory care centers. Not all clinicians are intimately familiar with the FDA’s Opioid Analgesic Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS), which is essential in order to ensure that patients receive and understand the Medication Guides and information regarding the safe use of these products. With enhanced knowledge and strategies for managing patients with pain, clinicians can support the interprofessional team in addressing opioid addiction and support the safe use of opioids.


Wednesday, Oct. 23
3 – 5 p.m. ET


Speakers

Timothy J. Atkinson

Timothy Atkinson, PharmD, CPE,  Activity Chair
Clinical Pharmacy Practitioner, Pain Management
Federal Facility
Nashville, Tennessee

Timothy J. Atkinson is a Clinical Pharmacy Practitioner in Pain Management and federal employee working in pain and opioid policy development and dissemination. Dr. Atkinson specializes in complex and high-risk pain medication management. He was a residency director for a PGY-2 Pain and Palliative Care Pharmacy Residency program for many years and remains a strong advocate for expansion of clinical pharmacists with expertise in collaborative drug therapy management (CDTM) specific to pain management. Dr. Atkinson is a board member representing pain management for the Society of Pain and Palliative Care Pharmacists. Dr. Atkinson is the owner of Vanguard Pain Management Consulting where he advises clients in managed care and develops continuing education programs for pain management and substance use disorders. His research interests include opioids, buprenorphine, NSAIDs, pain management in specialty disease states, and the elderly.



Christopher M. Herndon

Christopher M. Herndon, PharmD, BCACP, FASHP, FCCP
Professor - Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Advanced Practice Pharmacist, Pain - SIHF Healthcare
Edwardsville, Illinois

Christopher M. Herndon is a Professor with the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE) School of Pharmacy. Currently, Dr. Herndon sees patients with chronic pain and opioid use disorder within a family medicine residency clinic. Dr. Herndon was the 2019 president for the Society of Pain and Palliative Care Pharmacists (SPPCP) and current president of the SPPCP Foundation. He is the 2006 recipient of the “Pain Champion Award” from the Alliance of State Pain Initiatives, the 2012 recipient of the “Academic Pain Educator of the Year Award” from the American Society of Pain Educators, the 2016 “Pharmacist of the Year” from the Illinois Pharmacist’s Association, and the 2018 recipient of the Distinguished Service Award from the American Pain Society.



Charles E. Argoff

Charles E. Argoff, MD
Professor of Neurology Albany Medical College
Director, Pain Management Fellowship
Albany, New York

Charles E. Argoff is Professor of Neurology at Albany Medical College, Vice-Chair, Department of Neurology, Director of the Comprehensive Pain Center at Albany Medical Center and Director of the Pain Management Fellowship in Albany, NY. Dr. Argoff is a member of the American Academy of Neurology, the International Association for the Study of Pain, the American Academy of Pain Medicine, the Eastern Pain Society and the New York State Pain Society. He is the President of the American Academy of Pain Medicine Foundation and President of the New York State Pain Society.

He is one of the editors of the recently published textbook Raj’s Practical Management of Pain, Sixth Edition, and co-author of Defeat Chronic Pain Now, a book written for people with chronic pain. He has recently published the fourth edition of Pain Management Secrets. He is on the editorial board for the Clinical Journal of Pain.



Target Audience

This activity was planned to meet the educational needs of physicians, pharmacists, physician associates and nurse practitioners (prescribers and non-prescribers involved in the care of patients receiving opioid analgesic therapy, nonpharmacologic therapies, and non-opioid medication therapies).


Format

This activity consists of the following:

  • A pre-assessment completed during registration
  • A faculty slide presentation with active learning and faculty discussion
  • Supplementary materials
  • A post-assessment (a score of at least 70% is required)
  • An evaluation completed on the ASHP eLearning Portal

Participants must participate in the activity in its entirety to claim continuing education credit online at the ASHP eLearning Portal. Follow the prompts to complete the post-assessment and evaluation, claim credit, and view the statement of credit immediately after completing the activity.


Learning Objectives

  • Describe the importance of health care provider education in the FDA’s opioid REMS program.
  • Discuss the fundamentals of pain management, including definitions, etiology, assessment, diagnosis, and mechanisms of pain.
  • Evaluate multi-modal therapeutic options for managing pain.
  • Develop individualized pain management plans that include therapy goals, pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic options, and interprofessional collaboration.
  • Apply strategies on the safe use of opioid therapy, including counseling patients and caregivers on their use, as well as proper storage and disposal of the medications.
  • Develop an approach for identifying and managing patients with opioid use disorder.

Agenda

  • 3 p.m. – Welcome and Introductions
    Timothy Atkinson
  • 3:05 p.m. – Fundamentals of Pain Management
    Charles E. Argoff
  • 3:40 p.m. – Optimizing Pain Management
    Timothy Atkinson
  • 4:15 p.m. – Meeting the Challenges of Chronic Pain Management and Opioid Use Disorder
    Christopher M. Herndon
  • 4:50 p.m. – Question and Answer
    All Faculty

Accredited for CPE and CME

ACPE #: 0204-0000-24-407-L08-P
E Credit: 2.0 contact hours (0.2 CEUs)
Activity Type: Application-based
Activity Fee: No charge

To Claim CE for the webinar, enter the CE code announced during the activity and complete the evaluation.

 


Other parts of the Initiative...

For those unable to attend the live webinar in October, the presentation will reoccur live in April 2025.

An on-demand version will be available in late-November 2024.

 

ACPE logo black and white The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education as a provider of continuing pharmacy education with Commendation.
ACCME Accredited logo The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists designates this live activity for a maximum of 2.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

ASHP Advantage logo Provided by ASHP.
This activity is supported by an independent educational grant from the Opioid Analgesic REMS Program Companies.
Please see the listing of REMS Program Companies. This activity is intended to be fully compliant with the Opioid Analgesic REMS education requirements issued by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
For questions and assistance to participate, contact us.