Help

BI’s Article search uses Boolean search capabilities. If you are not familiar with these principles, here are some quick tips.

To search specifically for more than one word, put the search term in quotation marks. For example, “workers compensation”. This will limit your search to that combination of words.

To search for a combination of terms, use quotations and the & symbol. For example, “hurricane” & “loss”.

Login Register Subscribe

AMA supports monitoring to curb opioid abuse

Reprints

The American Medical Association is urging doctors to use prescription drug monitoring programs to combat opioid abuse.

The AMA Task Force to Reduce Opioid Abuse is urging health care providers to use state-run prescription drug monitoring programs to check a patient’s history when considering treatment options, the Chicago-based group said in a statement on Wednesday.

“When PDMPs are fully funded, contain relevant clinical information and are available at the point of care, they have been shown to be an effective tool to help physicians identify patients who may be misusing opioids, and to implement treatment strategies including referral for those in need of further care,” according to the statement.

Some states, including New York, Massachusetts and Tennessee, require health care providers to access databases before prescribing opioids.

Pennsylvania and Missouri are the only two states without prescription drug monitoring programs that health care providers can access.

The guidance regarding prescription drug monitoring is the first of several national recommendations to address the growing opioid epidemic, according to the statement.

“We are committed to working long-term on a multi-pronged, comprehensive public health approach to end opioid abuse in America,” AMA Chair-elect Dr. Patrice A. Harris said in the statement.

Read Next

  • Opioid addiction suit puts workers comp payers on alert

    Experts urge workers compensation payers to take steps to avoid overprescribing or doctor shopping following a state Supreme Court's decision allowing patients to sue physicians and pharmacies for contributing to their addiction to opioids.