Opioid use for chronic musculoskeletal pain - Clinical Practice Review

Medcast Clinical Practice Review courses provide a quick update on the diagnostic, treatment, and management recommendations to enhance clinical practice. These courses provide CPD across all three categories including Educational Activities (EA), Reviewing Performance (RP, and Measuring Outcomes (MO.

The Opioid Crisis

In 2016–17, 15.4 million opioid prescriptions were dispensed under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) to 3.1 million people. Every day in Australia, nearly 150 hospitalisations and 14 emergency department presentations involve opioid harm, and 3 people die from drug-induced deaths involving opioid use (https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/illicit-use-of-drugs/opioid-harm-in-australia/summary).

Critical insights for GPs

Opioids have a role in the management of pain, however evidence-based judicious use is necessary to ensure appropriate prescribing and minimisation of harm. For GPs this means acting in accordance with national and state regulations, engaging in accountable prescribing, and understanding holistic pain management including non-pharmacological strategies and weaning processes to reduce opioid dose where appropriate (https://www.racgp.org.au/clinical-resources/clinical-guidelines/key-racgp-guidelines/view-all-racgp-guidelines/drugs-of-dependence/part-c1)

Interactive Learning: Blending eLearning case studies and practice review 

Through a blend of engaging learning modalities including 3 eLearning clinical case studies, and a clinical chart review, participants will review the key concepts around

• Managing a patient on schedule 8 analgesic medications
• Authority and schedule 8 medications
• Weaning a patient off opioid medications

. Integration of new knowledge into clinical practice is supported with a reflective activity and application of decision making reinforcing learning, 

This course provides 4 hours of CPD across all 3 CPD activities, and can be completed online at any time.

Participant feedback

The course provided me with knowledge on optimal management of pain with management strategies to safely prescribe opioid analgesia and ways to improve functioning of patient using non-pharmacological measures.

Course was very relevant to my scope of practice and has helped me reduce my opiate prescribing and improve my management.

Well guided step-by-step about S8 medications and strategies on how to help the patient to taper and manage side effects.

The course was a timely reminder about & revision of best practice guidelines for opioid prescribing and the mini-audit reflective activity in particular was useful to understand where my practice needs updating and improvement in the management of some of my long-standing patients on opioid medications.