Course Overview

This course on prescribing practices and management of chronic pain and substance use disorder is an intensive 2 ½  day course designed for physicians, dentists, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and other clinicians in all specialties, who need or wish to increase their knowledge and ability to effectively prescribe and control medications while reducing the risk for abuse.

This course covers topics such as choosing medications, proper dosing, chronic pain diagnosis, prescribing and treatment, improper medication orders, and common bases for actions by regulatory agencies relating to medications. For a complete list of this program’s content, see below.

This course is approved by the California Medical Board as meeting the coursework requirements of physician probation.

Research indicates that up to one third of the disciplinary actions taken by Medical Boards are related to physician misprescribing practices.  Learn proper prescribing practices and how best to document prescriptions for controlled substances.  Learn to avoid common pitfalls including: inappropriate dispensing of medications from physician’s offices, prescribing large amounts of narcotics at frequent intervals, or prescribing to family members, friends, or a person with a known history of substance abuse.

This course has been developed to enhance the physician’s ability to effectively prescribe controlled medications, while minimizing their misuse whenever possible.

Up to 21 Accredited CME Hours (19 Accredited CME Hours in Lecture; 2 Accredited CME hours for the Pre-course) – 2 ½ day program

Tuition

$1,749. Organizations sponsoring multiple registrants should call (650) 212-4904 to discuss reduced tuition fees that may apply.

Location

Until further notice, this course will be held online via Zoom. Attendees will be expected to have access to a camera and microphone.

Daily times

Day 1 & Day 2:  8:00 AM – 6 PM PST

Day 3: 9:00 AM – 12:30 PM PST

Live Program Content

1. Proper indications for prescribing.
2. Choosing the medication.
3. Requirement of adequate prior examination.
4. Identifying contra-indications before prescribing.
5. Identifying potential medication interactions before prescribing.
6. Non-prescription (over-the-counter) drugs and nutritional supplements.
7. Herbal remedy interactions.
8. Food interactions.
9. Alcohol interactions.
10. Pharmacokinetics.
11. Pharmacodynamics.
12. Dosing errors.
13. Informed consent for medications.
14. Instructions to patients on medications.
15. Medication warnings for patients.
16. Safe patient monitoring, and recognizing adverse reactions and therapeutic failure.
17. Preventing, identifying and managing medication non-compliance.
18. Collaborative (split) treatment.
19. Terminating care of a patient on medication.
20. Controlled substances prescribing requirements.
21. Treating addicted patients.
22. Drug-seeking patients.
23. Substance-abusing patients.
24. Fraudulent prescriptions.
25. Prescribing excessive quantities of medications.
26. Clinician storage and dispensing of controlled substances.
27. Chronic pain diagnosis.
28. Chronic pain medication treatment.
29. Classes of medications associated with increased risk.
30. Medications prescribed for psychoactive effects.
31. Prescribing function-enhancing medications.
32. Internet medication prescribing.
33. Internet medication purchases by patients.
34. Aiding and abetting of unlicensed practice.
35. Prescribing by supervised nurse practitioners, naturopaths and physician assistants.
36. Formulary conflicts.
37. Acceptable off-label medication prescribing.
38. Deviations from pharmaceutical manufacturers’ recommendations.
39. Sources of information for prescribing medications.
40. Illegible, ambiguous and contradictory medication orders.
41. Verbal orders, standing orders, PRN orders.
42. Self-prescribing by clinicians.
43. Prescribing for family members or friends.
44. Common bases for actions by regulatory agencies relating to medications.

Medical Board Approval

WILM Ed is a California Medical Board approved provider for Prescribing Practices

CME Accreditation

The University of California, Irvine School of Medicine designates this live and enduring materials activity for a maximum of 21 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™.  Physicians should claim only credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

The University of California, Irvine School of Medicine Continuing Medical Education Department has reviewed this activity’s speaker and planner disclosures and resolved all identified conflicts of interest, if applicable.

General Disclaimer

The statements and opinions contained in this program are solely those of the individual authors and contributors and not of the WILM Programs. The appearance of the advertisements is not a warranty, endorsement, or approval of the products or services advertised or of their effectiveness, quality or safety. The content of this presentation and publication may contain discussion of off-label uses of some of the agents mentioned. Please consult the prescribing information for full disclosure of approved uses. The WILM Programs disclaims responsibility for any injury to persons or property resulting from any ideas or products referred to in the presentation or advertisements.

Course Agenda

Note: all course times are in PST, Pacific Standard Time

Download Prescribing Practices and Management of Pain and Substance Use Disorder PDF agenda

Course Day 1

8:00 AM: Registration

8:30 – 10:30 AM:

• Pre-Test
• Introduction
• Proper indications for prescribing
• Choosing the medication
• Requirement of adequate prior examination
• Identifying contra-indications before prescribing
• Identifying potential medication interactions before prescribing
• Non-prescription (over-the-counter) drugs

10:30 – 10:45 AM: BREAK

10:45 AM – 12:30 PM:

• Herbal remedy interactions
• Food interactions
• Alcohol interactions
• Pharmacokinetics
• Pharmacodynamics

12:30 – 1:30 PM: LUNCH ON YOUR OWN

1:30 – 3:30 PM:

• Dosing errors
• Informed consent for medications
• Instructions to patients on medications
• Medication warnings for patients
• Safe monitoring of patients

3:30 – 3:45 PM: BREAK

3:45 – 5:30 PM:

• Preventing, identifying and managing medication non-compliance
• Collaborative care
• Terminating care of a patient on medication
• Controlled substances prescribing requirements

5:30 PM: ADJOURN

Course Day 2

8:30 – 10:30 AM:

• Treating addicted patients
• Drug-seeking patients
• Substance-abusing patients
• Fraudulent prescriptions

10:30 – 10:45 AM: BREAK

10:45 AM – 12:30 PM:

• Prescribing excessive quantities of medications
• Clinician storage and dispensing of controlled substances
• Chronic pain diagnosis
• Chronic pain medication treatment
• Chronic pain syndrome

12:30 – 1:30 PM: LUNCH ON YOUR OWN

1:30 – 3:30 PM:

• Management of chronic insomnia
• Classes of medications associated with increased risk
• Medications prescribed for psychoactive effects

3:30 – 3:45 PM: BREAK

3:45 – 5:30 PM:

• Prescribing function-enhancing medications
• Internet medication prescribing
• Internet medication purchases by patients

5:30 PM: ADJOURN

Course Day 3

8:30 – 10:30 AM:

• Aiding and abetting of unlicensed practice
• Prescribing by supervised nurse practitioners and physician assistants
• Formulary conflicts
• Acceptable off-label medication prescribing
• Deviations from pharmaceutical manufacturers’ recommendations
• Sources of information for prescribing medications
• Illegible, ambiguous and contradictory medication orders

10:30 – 10:45 AM: BREAK

10:45 AM: – 12:45 PM:

• Verbal orders, standing orders and PRN orders
• Self-prescribing by clinicians
• Prescribing for family members or friends
• Common bases for actions by regulatory agencies relating to medications
• Post-Test

12:45 PM: ADJOURN