Mark's Musings - August 27

Below is an aggregation of the stories I posted on LinkedIn since my last edition. I curate them through the prism of an "intersection of chronic pain and appropriate treatment" and so they come attached with my opinion.

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5 Ways to Help Injured Workers Avoid Opioid Misuse (667 views)

Excellent article from Michelle Kerr of Risk & Insurance with my input. As you can see, she and I took a well-rounded approach. It's not that opioids are inappropriate in every circumstance. It's that there may be other options that have less risks and achieve faster return to function. Education of all stakeholders (but especially of injured workers); Managing (setting) expectations about pain; Creating a culture of wellness and resilience; A return-to-work program that provides value to both the employer and employee; Working collaboratively with treating physicians. Take five minutes and read this article - Hopefully some helpful information regardless of what role you're playing in #WorkComp. This is the favorite quote of mine ...

Fill your network with doctors who are very competent, who follow evidence-based medicine, and that have demonstrated proof, over time, that they deliver people back to work and back to function quickly — but not so quickly that they re-injure themselves.

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WCI Conference in Orlando

This conference was busy for me. And for 4,284 others (yes, it's that big). Here's what I was involved with:

• Public launch of the IAIABC's new "Opioid Policy Inventory" (check out this WorkCompWire article and the formal press release)
• "Turning the Churn: A Vision for Workers' Recovery" (check out this recap article from WorkersCompensation.com's Dara Barney)
• "New Waves in Medical Treatment: Perspectives on Challenges and Out-of the-Box Approaches to Management of Opioids, Marijuana and Telemedicine in Workers Compensation Claims" (my primary focus: It's a false choice of Opioids or Marijuana - instead it should be #BioPsychoSocialSpiritual using #AllOfTheAbove)
• "Exploring the World of Opioid Alternatives" (check out this recap article from Safety National's Conference Chronicles)

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Addiction Medicine Specialists Urge Senate Leaders to Pass Comprehensive Opioid Legislation (183 views)

The American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) says the #opioid epidemic "requires a new approach to the delivery of substance use prevention, addiction treatment, and recovery support services." Teach It. Standardize It. Cover It. And, of course, #CleanUpTheMess. Their letter was sent to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Senator Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. It's not the first time they've received a similar request. Let's see what the U.S. Senate does in response.

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Economic Toll Of Opioid Crisis In U.S. Exceeded $1 Trillion Since 2001 (142 views)

Very interesting statistics about the #opioid epidemic. Of course, this only counts the economic cost - not the human cost (which is incalculable). The analysis speculated another $500B (yes, billion) would be added by 2020 if "current conditions persist." Additionally, they said "the costs of the opioid crisis are borne by individuals in the form of lost wages; the private sector in lost productivity and health care costs; and federal, state and local governments in lost tax revenue and additional spending on health care, social services, education and criminal justice." But they admitted "the human cost - the emotional toll on individuals with a use disorder, and that on their families and communities - is substantial and vitally important to any complete analysis of the crisis. We are not able to quantify those additional costs in our analysis due to the inherent difficulty of estimating them." The cost, economic or human, is too high and demands continued attention.

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'Drive High, Get a DUI' ad campaign launched by NHSTA (257 views)

"If You Feel Different, You Drive Different" is a new campaign sponsored by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) based on their concerns of increased driving while impaired. Hat tip to "The Way" published by my buddies Greg McKenna and Cari Miller. Whether behind the wheel or at work, being impaired provides manifold implications. I heard this advertisement on the radio. Many people remember 1987's "this is your brain on drugs" TV advertisement as it was graphic and initiated conversation. Let's hope this does as well.

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California's King v CompPartners (374 views)

BREAKING: News from California on August 23 @ 2:38pm, thanks to Mark Walls. I'll let you read the article above for more details. The decision confirmed Work Comp is the exclusive remedy for disputes but left other questions still unanswered (read this WorkCompCentral article, subscription required, for more info). Suffice to say that if the decision had gone the other way Work Comp in California would be in serious turmoil. More than usual ...

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To treat pain, study people in all their complexity (639 views)

I'm a believer in anything Beth Darnall, PhD says / writes / does at Stanford. The Collaborative Health Outcomes Information Registry (CHOIR) is one of them. And her article. Whether you're a provider or patient, take five minutes to read it. And mentally digest it. #BioPsychoSocialSpiritual Her article talks about studies that show long-term use of opioids provide little benefit but some people do quite well using them. She confirms people that worry about pain or feel helpless have worse outcomes after surgery. She compares placebo and nocebo. And talks about how patients can be "primed for relief." All important aspects of helping people manage their pain. It will be very interesting to read the results from CHOIR at some point in the future. I am optimistic they will find treating the whole person enhances the possibility for long-lasting good outcomes. The smart payers - and patients - are starting to see the value in that approach.

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In addition, I published two blogposts:

• "Mark's Musings - August 20" on August 22
• "Work Comp = Noble?" on August 23

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"It's Never the Wrong Time to do the Right Thing" - Martin Luther King, Jr.

#CleanUpTheMess