AMA President Calls on Physicians to Help Prevent Opioid Misuse

CHICAGO — The American Medical Assoc. (AMA) released the findings of a national physician survey that shows strong support for key policies and recommendations to end the nation’s opioid epidemic, including ways to improve prescription-drug monitoring programs, enhancing physician education, as well as removing barriers to care.

Released by the AMA’s Task Force to Reduce Opioid Abuse, the survey shows that 87{06cf2b9696b159f874511d23dbc893eb1ac83014175ed30550cfff22781411e5} of physicians agree that prescription-drug monitoring programs (PDMPs) help physicians become more informed about a patient’s prescription history. Physicians also said PDMPs need improvement to integrate with electronic health records and provide real-time data and other key features that would make them even more useful.

“If a physician is considering prescribing an opioid — whether for acute or chronic pain — we strongly encourage physicians to ensure that they are current in their knowledge and training as to when an opioid is appropriate and when it is not,” said Dr. Steven Stack, AMA president. “This new survey helps underscore that medical societies must be leaders in providing the best resources possible to our colleagues in every state and for every specialty, both for appropriate opioid prescribing and in urging physicians to register for and use PDMPs.”

The AMA survey also found that a majority of respondents have taken continuing medical education (CME) on safe opioid prescribing (68{06cf2b9696b159f874511d23dbc893eb1ac83014175ed30550cfff22781411e5}) and pain management with opioid alternatives (55{06cf2b9696b159f874511d23dbc893eb1ac83014175ed30550cfff22781411e5}). Moreover, the survey found that physicians seek more practice-specific and specialty-specific education. Specifically, the survey found that one in four physicians said that CME on these issues either was not readily available for their specialty or did not directly address their practice needs.

The survey also addressed overdose prevention and treatment of substance-use disorders. Only 15{06cf2b9696b159f874511d23dbc893eb1ac83014175ed30550cfff22781411e5} of the surveyed physicians had taken education on medication-assisted treatment (MAT). The AMA Task Force to Reduce Opioid Abuse has made increasing access to MAT a key recommendation, and several medical organizations offer waiver-qualifying MAT training to help physicians recognize patients with substance-use disorder and become certified to increase access to treatment.

In addition, the survey found strong support for increasing access to naloxone. More than 80{06cf2b9696b159f874511d23dbc893eb1ac83014175ed30550cfff22781411e5} of physicians said naloxone should be available to a patient via a standing order or collaborative practice agreement with a pharmacist. The AMA has model legislation that includes support for standing orders, and has also supported more than 20 state laws that increase access to naloxone in the community.

“The next step to help increase access to naloxone is for physicians to co-prescribe this life-saving medication to patients at risk of overdose,” Stack said. “Just as we would co-prescribe an EpiPen to a person at risk for a life-threatening allergic reaction, we should co-prescribe naloxone to a patient at risk for overdose.

“This survey provides an important window into physicians’ perceptions about caring for patients with pain and those with substance use disorders,” he continued. “This survey confirms that physicians support many of the key policies being considered to end this crisis. The AMA and the nation’s physicians are committed to partnering with others to implement proven solutions.”