New Health Professional Webinars Focus on Responsible Opioid Prescribing

The New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services today announced a new webinar series aimed at educating prescribers about responsible prescribing of opioid medications. The series provides health professionals who prescribe opioids with information on pain management, understanding the potential for addiction, and determining best practices in prescribing. Through the trainings, physicians and other prescribers will learn strategies to reduce the risk of addiction. The four-part webinar series was developed by NYS OASAS in collaboration with the New York State Department of Health (DOH), the Medical Society of the State of New York (MSSNY), the New York State Society of Physician Assistants (NYSSPA), and the Nurse Practitioner Association of New York State (NPA).

“Prescription opioid medications have the potential to be addictive, so it is vital that those certified in New York State to prescribe these medications understand the risks for addiction,” said NYS OASAS Commissioner Arlene González-Sánchez. “We are pleased to offer this training so that medical professionals can continue to provide quality care to all New Yorkers and we can, together, address the rise in prescription opioid misuse and overuse.”

The next webinar is Tuesday, February 23 followed by the final session on Thursday, March 10. Two prior sessions are available online. Prescribers who watch the full series can claim Continuing Medical Education (CME) credit. Visit the Medical Society of the State of New York for more information on the series and to register.

“It is essential that we enlist the assistance of the state’s health care workforce to change some of their prescribing habits,” said NYS Commissioner of Health Dr. Howard Zucker. “With the benefit of increased and updated education, we are better equipped to address what has become a major public health problem here in New York and across the country.”

The trainings aim to address these statistics:

• Every day in the United States, 44 people die as a result of prescription opioid overdose. _(CDC)
• Prescription opioid substance use disorder admissions in OASAS treatment programs have risen 155 percent statewide between 2005 and 2014. _(OASAS)
• 45 percent of people who used heroin were also addicted to opioid painkillers. _(CDC)

Visit www.combatheroin.ny.gov for more information on addressing prescription opioid abuse, including a Kitchen Table Tool Kit to help start the conversation about the warning signs of addiction and where to get help. New Yorkers struggling with an addiction, or whose loved ones are struggling, can find help and hope by calling the State’s toll-free, 24-hour, 7-day-a-week HOPEline at 1-877-8-HOPENY (1-877-846-7369) or by texting HOPENY (Short Code 467369). Find a NYSOASAS-certified substance use disorder treatment provider by using the OASAS Bed Availability Dashboard or by visiting the NYS OASAS Find Help web page.