i_opioidsubstance_2017a_2017-08-01t09:36:49z1 Hearing Summary

Date: 08/01/2017

Location: RM 271

09:38 AM -- Providers' Perspectives On Opioid Medications



Dr. Don Stader and Dr. Katie Lozano, representing the Colorado Medical Society, began their presentation and provided other informational material to the committee (Attachment A). Their presentation focused on the history of opioid prescribing and the origins of the opioid epidemic in the U.S., the rising rate of overdose deaths, and local physicians' response and outreach efforts, including the creation of the Colorado Consortium for Prescription Drug Abuse. They also described implementing pain management strategies, where their core objectives are to maintain and expand ongoing physician outreach, continuing medical education, training on pain management and addiction treatment; to ensure sustained treatment and support for addicted patients and support for both caregivers and first responders; and to provide optimal practice support to physicians evaluating and treating patients with pain conditions. In addition, they emphasized the importance of increased use of the prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP). The witnesses responded to committee member questions.



17Opioid0801AttachA.pdf



10:31 AM



Dr. Shannon Jantz, representing the Colorado Academy of Family Physicians, spoke about the opioid epidemic from the standpoint of family physicians. She focused on interactions with patients in urgent/emergent care compared to a clinical setting, explained the differing challenges of providing care in rural and urban settings, and described the differences between treating chronic and acute pain.





10:41 AM



Dr. Greg Ingalls, representing the Colorado Dental Association, spoke about the issue of opioid medication use in the dental practice setting. He described methods for limiting opioid prescriptions in the dental practice setting and discussed partial fill prescriptions and the PDMP. Dr. Ingalls responded to committee member questions.