(Originally posted on August 11, 2018)
I suspect you may have already read or heard some “bad news” today. This post is full of “good news,” even if it is a really harsh subject.
The AMA says that the Opioid Epidemic is “turning around,” according to Medscape write Megan Brooks.1 And according to the AMA’s report, leadership and action by physicians is helping.2 Further, there was a 22% decline in the number of opioid prescriptions written from 2013 to 2017. The same article sites a report by data company IQVIA that shows the same 22% decrease for Texas.3
Of course, there’s still more to be done. That is why I want to let you know about a unique opportunity that is coming up in September. Methodist Mansfield Medical Center is going to host a tele-conference roundtable – a kind of “grand rounds” – with Mayo Clinic on opioid prescribing, Thursday, September 13th at noon, (our usual physician’s journal club time).
This is a one-of-a-kind pilot program with the Mayo Clinic; the first time this has been done! Opioid prescribing and the potential detrimental side of opioid use affects us all, and I want to encourage anyone who can possibly attend to do so. Not to mention that this will be a really unique opportunity for MMMC!
For the discussion and question & answer session, we will be joined by a panel of expert physicians from the Mayo Clinic, including:
Casey Clements, M.D., Ph.D., Emergency Medicine Services Consultant
Halena Gazelka, M.D., Anesthesiologist, Periop Medicine Consultant
Holly Geyer, M.D., Hospitalist, Mayo Arizona
The panel discussion will be based on a podcast by Dr. Casey Clements, “Opioid Edition: Acute Prescribing: Emergency Room Prescribing.” This is episode five, of an eight part series. The podcast, just 23 minutes long, is available now on iTunes, and I encourage you to listen in advance (link).
According to iTunes, in this episode Dr. Casey Clements, an emergency physician and practice leader, who works in the opioid stewardship program at Mayo Clinic-Rochester, shares his insights on opioid therapy from the Emergency Department perspective. In the sixth episode, Dr. Clements discusses what to do if you suspect opioid use disorder or addiction, and shares his insights on treating opioid misuse in the emergency setting.
I hope many of you will plan to attend. Room announcement and other details will be forthcoming. Feel free to contact me with any questions. Please check Twitter @doctorsserving or the MMMC physician’s only group on Facebook for announcements.
See you in September!
Paul Lansdowne, MD
1https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/897847
2https://www.end-opioid-epidemic.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/AMA-2018-Opioid-Report-FINAL.pdf