Evidence-Based Interventions to Improve Opioid Prescribing in Primary Care: a Qualitative Assessment of Implementation in Two Studies.

Background: The TOPCARE and TEACH randomized controlled trials demonstrated the efficacy of a multi-faceted intervention to promote guideline-adherent long-term opioid therapy (LTOT) in primary care settings. Intervention components included a full-time Nurse Care Manager (NCM), an electronic registry, and academic detailing sessions.

Objective: This study sought to identify barriers, facilitators, and other issues germane to the wider implementation of this intervention.

Communication between nurse care managers and patients who take opioids for chronic pain: Strategies for exploring aberrant behavior.

Objective: One approach to potential misuse of prescription opioids by patients with chronic pain is team-based collaborative primary care, with primary care visits complemented by frequent visits with nurse care managers (NCMs) specializing in addiction care. However, little is known about the communication strategies NCMs employ in these visits. This study aimed to describe strategies NCMs used with patients when discussing aberrancies encountered during opioid monitoring.

Improving Adherence to Long-term Opioid Therapy Guidelines to Reduce Opioid Misuse in Primary Care: A Cluster-Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Prescription opioid misuse is a national crisis. Few interventions have improved adherence to opioid-prescribing guidelines.

Objective: To determine whether a multicomponent intervention, Transforming Opioid Prescribing in Primary Care (TOPCARE; http://mytopcare.

What do providers want to know about opioid prescribing? A qualitative analysis of their questions.

Background: In 2012, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) responded to the opioid crisis with a Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy, requiring manufacturers of extended-release/long-acting opioids to fund continuing medical education based on the "FDA Blueprint for Prescriber Education." Topics in the Blueprint are "Assessing Patients for Treatment," "Initiating Therapy, Modifying Dosing, and Discontinuing Use," "Managing Therapy," "Counseling Patients and Caregivers about Safe Use," "General Drug Information," and "Specific Drug Information." Based on the FDA Blueprint, Boston University School of Medicine's "Safe and Competent Opioid Prescribing Education" (SCOPE of Pain) offers live trainings for physicians and other prescribers.

Buprenorphine Initiation and Linkage to Outpatient Buprenorphine do not Reduce Frequency of Injection Opiate Use Following Hospitalization.

Background: Buprenorphine has established effectiveness for outpatient treatment of opioid use disorder. Our previously published STOP (Suboxone Transition to Opiate Program) trial showed that buprenorphine induction, stabilization, and linkage to outpatient treatment in opioid-dependent inpatients (injection and non-injection drug users) decreased illicit opioid use over 6months. The present study was a planned subgroup analysis of injection opiate users from STOP.