Upcoming Opioid Webinars to Complete the Guideline Series

Learn More About Opioid Use Disorder, Risk Mitigation, and Effective Communication

CDC’s National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (NCIPC) partnered with CDC’s Clinician Outreach and Communication Activity (COCA) and the University of Washington to present this COCA Webinar Series about the CDC Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain. The series covers when and how opioids should be initiated for chronic pain, how to assess risk and address harms of opioid use, and when and how opioids should be discontinued. University of Washington provides insight into the application of the Guideline in clinical settings. The upcoming webinars will cover opioid use disorder (OUD), risk mitigation strategies to reduce opioid overdose, and effective communication with patients.

Upcoming Dates for the Guideline Webinar Series (2-3 pm ET)

• November 29, 2016: Assessment for Opioid Use Disorder and Referral to Evidence-Based Treatment
• December 6, 2016: Risk Mitigation Strategies to Reduce Opioid Overdoses
• December 13, 2016: Effective Communication with Patients About Opioid Therapy

The recording and related materials for each webinar are posted online within a few days of the live call.

Webinar Participant Information

The call-in number, passcode, and webinar link for each call will be posted on the COCA Web Site a week before each webinar.

• Registration is not required, but join early. Line opens 15 minutes before the live call.
• This is a high interest call; when possible, dial in as a group.
• If lines reach capacity, access on-demand a few days after each live call.
• Earn free continuing education.

Why is this topic important?

The amount of opioids prescribed in the U.S. quadrupled from 1999-2014. Unfortunately, long-term opioid use for chronic pain is associated with serious risks, including abuse, dependence, and overdose. Evidence suggests that the risk for opioid disorders increases with dose. The CDC Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain provides recommendations for safer and more effective prescribing of opioids for chronic pain in patients 18 and older in outpatient settings outside of active cancer treatment, palliative care, and end-of-life care.

Learn More

For on-demand access to the previous calls/webinars in this series visit:

• Overview of the CDC Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic (June 22, 2016)
• Nonopioid Treatments (July 27, 2016)
• Assessing Benefits and Harms of Opioid Therapy (August 3, 2016)
• Dosing and Titration of Opioids (August 17, 2016)

For more information on prescription opioids visit:

• CDC’s Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain
• Guideline Resources for Providers
• CDC’s Opioid Overdose Home Page