Recognizing the critical role health care providers play in curbing the opioid epidemic, the Department of Health has created education and tools to assist in navigating the complexities of the crisis. The Department offers free online and on-site education on topics including safe and effective opioid prescribing, strategies to identify substance use disorder, addressing substance use disorder, and referring patients to treatment. Participants are eligible to receive Continuing Medical Education (CME) and certain modules meet additional Pennsylvania licensing and relicensing requirements.

The Department can send free print booklets of the Evidence-Based Prescribing: Tools you can use to fight the opioid epidemic curriculum to organizations in Pennsylvania. If your organization is interested in receiving free booklets, please complete this online form to request booklets and provide shipping information.

Online Courses

Educational modules are available as online continuing education courses on TRAIN PA free of charge. You can find them by clicking on the link or searching for "PA-PDMP" in the course catalog.

On-Site Educational Sessions

Quality Insights is currently scheduling virtual and onsite education in all Pennsylvania counties. Please email PDMPEducation@qualityinsights.org to request more information or to schedule a session. Sessions will start after July 1, 2020. Eligible providers may receive CME credit based on meeting certain criteria.

If you are unable to attend an on-site session, you can take advantage of our online courses on TRAIN PA.

Accreditation

These activities have been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through partnership with the PDMP Office and the University of Pittsburgh. The University of Pittsburgh is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for Physicians and Physician Assistants.

The University of Pittsburgh designates each module for a maximum of 1 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.  The maximum number of hours awarded for this Continuing Nursing Education activity is 1.0 contact hours. Other health care professionals will receive a certificate of attendance confirming the number of contact hours commensurate with the extent of participation in this activity.

The University of Pittsburgh has been authorized by the American Academy of PAs (AAPA) to award AAPA Category 1 CME credit for activities planned in accordance with AAPA CME Criteria. This activity is designated for 1.0 AAPA Category 1 CME credits. PAs should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation.

Continuing Medical Education (CME) Requirements

All modules 1–7 can be used to meet the Medical and/or Osteopathic Boards' CME credit requirement of Patient Safety/Risk Management, and modules 3–7 can be used to meet the Act 124 of 2016 opioid education requirements. However, a provider cannot use the same module to meet both the Act 124 and Patient Safety/Risk Management requirements. See below for the specific requirements that each module meets:

Evidence-Based Prescribing: Tools you can use to fight the opioid epidemic.

Download All (PDF)

Module 1: Why Using the PDMP is Important for Achieving Optimal Health for Pennsylvania Citizens

Learn why the use of the PDMP is important to improving Pennsylvania's population health.

• Module 1 Guide Document (PDF)
  

Module 2: How to Use the PDMP to Make Clinical Decisions

Learn how prescribers and pharmacists can integrate the PDMP into their clinical workflow and use the PDMP to make clinical decisions based on the most recent requirements and regulations.

• Module 2 Guide Document (PDF)
  
• Reporting Suspected Aberrant Medication Dispensing (PDF)
  
• Reporting Suspected Aberrant Medication Prescribing (PDF)
  
• Pharmacist Fact Sheet (PDF)
  
• Prescriber Fact Sheet (PDF)
  

Module 3: Using the PDMP to Optimize Pain Management

Learn how prescribers and pharmacists can use the PDMP to optimize a patient's pain management

• Module 3 Guide Document (PDF)
  
• Diagram: Multimodal Pain Management Methods (PDF)
  
• Module 3 Pocket Cards (PDF)
  

Module 4: Opioid Prescribing Guide

Overview of opioid prescribing guidelines published by the Pennsylvania Department of Health for acute and chronic pain management in healthcare settings as well as information published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for chronic and acute pain management in all medical practices.

• Module 4 Guide Document (PDF)
  
• Opioid Prescribing Guidelines for Chronic Pain Checklist (PDF)
  
• Fact Sheet: Summary of Opioid Prescribing Guidelines for Noncancer Chronic Pain (PDF)
  
• Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Laws Surrounding Controlled Substances (PDF)
  
• Pocket Card: Quick Guide to Pennsylvania's Comprehensive Opioid Laws (PDF)
  
• Pocket Card: Opioid Prescribing Guidelines for Chronic Pain (PDF)
  

Module 5: Referral to Treatment for Substance Use Disorder Related to Opioid Use

Learn how to determine whether a patient should be referred to substance use disorder treatment and how to conduct a "warm handoff" of that patient to specialty treatment.

• Module 5 Guide Document (PDF)
  
• Flow Chart: Primary Care "Warm Handoff" For Substance Use Disorder (PDF)
  

Module 6: Approaches to Addressing Substance Use Disorder with Patients Identified by the PDMP

Learn how to incorporate Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) into clinical practice.

• Module 6 Guide Document (PDF)
  
• Key Components of Motivational Interviewing (PDF)
  
• Pocket Card: Steps of the Brief Negotiated Interview (PDF)
  
• Frequently Asked Questions: SBIRT Training and Implementation (PDF)
  
• SBIRT Primer (PDF)
  
• SBIRT Online Directory (PDF)
  
• SBIRT Demonstration Videos (PDF)
  

Module 7: Effective Opioid Tapering Practices

Overview of different opioid tapering strategies for prescribers who need to either taper a patient to a lower daily dosage or to discontinuation of opioid therapy.

• Module 7 Guide Document (PDF)
  
• Flow Chart: Opioid Tapering (PDF)
  
• Pocket Card: How to Taper Opioids (PDF)
  

Conflict of Interest Policy

No planners, members of the planning committee, content reviewers and/or anyone else in a position to control the content of this education activity have relevant financial relationships to disclose.

The Americans with Disabilities Act information

Participation by all individuals is encouraged. Advance notification of any special needs will help us provide better service. Please notify us of your needs at least two weeks in advance of the program by sending an email to ra-dh-pdmpedu@pa.gov.

If you have any questions about this education initiative, please contact ra-dh-pdmpedu@pa.gov.