DEA-registered clinical pharmacist practitioners: Progressing practice to increase patient care access.

Purpose: This descriptive review aims to describe the impact of controlled substance prescriptive authority (CSPA) among Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)-registered clinical pharmacist practitioners (pharmacists) within the Veterans Health Administration (VA). The practice perspectives of pharmacists with CSPA are also reviewed. A 3-part methodology included identification and query of DEA-registered pharmacists, practice impact data analysis, and time and motion prescribing analysis.

Retrospective Chart Review of Advanced Practice Pharmacist Prescribing of Controlled Substances for Pain Management at the Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans' Hospital.

Background: The US Department of Health and Human Services' 5-point strategy to combat the opioid overdose public health crisis includes improved pain management. There is a shortage of adequately trained health care providers in pain management. Advanced practice pharmacists may be able to help fill that void.

Current and emerging options to combat the opioid epidemic.

Today's management of chronic pain presents a challenging clinical dilemma. Although clinicians wish to relieve a patient's suffering, they must do so without undertreating the pain or contributing to the drug abuse problem. Following a steady rise in opioid prescription rates from 2006 to 2012, increased national attention for the obioid abuse epidemic likely contributed to the decline in prescribing rates from 2012 to 2016.

Exploring the Use of Chronic Opioid Therapy for Chronic Pain: When, How, and for Whom?

This article provides a broad overview regarding intent to initiate and consider ongoing chronic opioid therapy (COT) for treatment of chronic noncancer pain (CNCP). COT should be an individualized decision based on a comprehensive evaluation, assessment, and monitoring. It is imperative that providers discuss various risks and benefits of COT initially and at follow-up visits, and continue appropriate monitoring and follow-up at regular intervals.