This activity was originally presented as a part of Directions in Pharmacy 2025.
Program Description
Opioid use disorder (OUD) is a major public health crisis in the United States, contributing to substantial opioid-related overdose deaths each year and significant health care, criminal justice, and economic burdens. Pharmacists are often on the front lines of combating the opioid epidemic and OUD through efforts including counseling patients on proper use, identifying potential misuse, and ensuring safe dispensing practices. In this session, participants will review a range of treatment options for OUD, including medication-assisted treatment and psychosocial therapies, and learn essential patient-centered communication techniques for addressing OUD with empathy and compassion. This increased responsibility requires pharmacists to stay up to date with regulatory changes, best practices for pain management, and approaches to support patients with OUD. This session will provide pharmacists with actionable strategies to encourage safe and effective pain management while mitigating the risks associated with OUD.
Target audience: Community and health system pharmacists
Type of activity: Application
Release date: June 16, 2025
Expiration date: June 16, 2026
Time to complete activity: 1.0 hour
Learner level: Foundational, Intermediate
Fee: Free
Educational Objectives
At the completion of this activity, participants will be able to:
- Examine the neurobiological mechanisms underlying opioid use disorder (OUD) and how opioid exposure alters brain pathways involved in reward, motivation, and withdrawal
- Compare the pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic treatment options for OUD and develop a treatment plan for a patient with concurrent pain and OUD
- Demonstrate appropriate patient-centered communication techniques to express concern and engage in a discussion with a patient suspected of developing OUD
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