As anyone knows who has had surgery recently, you can nearly forget about getting a prescription for even short-term use of narcotics. These restrictions developed in response to a national opioid crisis that continues to decimate many areas of the country. Unfortunately, the restrictions on physician opioid prescribing have not made a dent in the opioid crisis. I felt guilty when I decided not to go through the incredible hassle required to prescribe narcotics since many patients with non-healing wounds have terrible pain. I reasoned that it is better for them to be managed by a pain management expert anyway, and that’s certainly true for patients with long-term pain issues. However, for short-term pain crises, it means my ability to help is limited while patients work to get into a pain clinic (assuming they can get into a pain clinic).
I am not sure what the FSMB statement will do to help the situation, but perhaps it will eventually lead to a more balanced approach to the use of opioids. The individual state boards are now deliberating ow to integrate the new recommendations into their own policies.
The American Medical Association (AMA) was a member of the multidisciplinary workgroup that helped inform the FSMB strategies and strongly supports the update. As reported by the AMA, how pain is managed for each patient should depend on the clinical evidence (and sometimes on the patient’s insurance), but, “…should not be based on government interference or arbitrary restrictions.”
Although physicians have reduced opioid prescribing by more than 50% over the last decade, health insurance companies have not increased access to affordable nonopioid alternatives and, while the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention opposes numeric limits on prescriptions, nearly 40 states still have laws that restrict access to opioid therapy. “These restrictions have harmed patients with chronic pain, those with cancer and in hospice, and those who have sickle cell disease,” said Dr. Michael Suk, AMA Board of Trustees Chair. “The AMA has called for balance and individualized care decisions.”
Caroline
Dr. Fife is a world renowned wound care physician dedicated to improving patient outcomes through quality driven care. Please visit my blog at CarolineFifeMD.com and my Youtube channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/carolinefifemd/videos
The opinions, comments, and content expressed or implied in my statements are solely my own and do not necessarily reflect the position or views of Intellicure or any of the boards on which I serve.
