#PewPerspectives - Week of Apr 9

Following are the stories that I posted on LinkedIn during this week in case you missed them. View counts are as of 9:00am ET on May 1.

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ACOEM Releases Comments to FDA on Opioid Prescribing Activity (1,759 views)

In follow-up to my comments last week on "The pain scale shares the blame for the opioid crisis in America" that was posted by Delainne Bond and Dr. Marcos Iglesias comes this statement by the president of ACOEM. His argument is that assessments of function (like the PEG Assessment Scale) are not included in electronic health records (EHR) because it's entry is not required. "Functional outcomes refer to the patient’s ability to perform everyday activities such as exercise, driving, walking, household duties, and work." Doesn't that sound like something everyone would aspire to? Not everyone can do the same type or scope of function due to their condition, but doesn't that seem like a good goal for treatment? To get back to living after an injury or to maintain even when in chronic pain. Making it a required element may be the best way to encourage doctors (and patients) to focus on function. Let's see how the FDA responds.

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Spring Cleaning For Your Mind + Body (268 views)

Some helpful suggestions, especially in regards to positivity (since I have at least one SMH moment every day, I need this reminder every once in awhile) ...

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For Chronic Pain, A Change In Habits Can Beat Opioids For Relief (2,020 views)

A success story of managing chronic pain after tapering from opioids. "The gold standard for treatment (of chronic back pain and arthritis) is a combination of things like exercise, rehabilitation therapies, yoga and cognitive behavioral therapies." The conundrum is explained by Kim Brown, who had been taking opioids for a back injury since 2010 before finding non-pharma options - "I couldn't do anything because of the pain. But I couldn't do anything because of the pain meds." And a different kind of conundrum is explained by her doctor - "his practice spends a lot of time fighting to get the treatments covered." Bottom line - "'There's no such thing as a pain-free day for me. It never, never fully goes away.' She has just learned how to manage life with it." Does this work for everybody? No. But should it be included as a reimbursable option by payers? Absolutely. To #CleanUpTheMess, ALL stakeholders need to act as partners.

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Commissioner of Workers' Compensation resigns (427 views)

BREAKING: Texas Work Comp commissioner Ryan Brannan will "step down from his position" effective May 1. Been an eventful 10 days after the abrupt retirement of Christine Baker in California.

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Finding Solutions to the Prescription Opioid and Heroin Crisis: A Road Map for States (726 views)

In case you're wondering how states are often arriving at the same conclusions in how to address the #opioid epidemic, there is one primary reason. The National Governor's Association published a roadmap in 2016 that was "developed through extensive research and consultation with senior state officials and other national experts in the fields of health and public safety." But it also involved an agreement by 46 of the governors for their commitment to the solution (their "compact"). Their guiding principles were:

1. Reduce inappropriate opioid prescribing;
2. Change the nation’s understanding of opioids and addiction;
3. Ensure a pathway to recovery for individuals with addiction.

This is on top of a White House strategy first published in 2011 (it's no longer on the White House website but you can download a PDF copy). Learning from one another in a strategic collaborative manner is the best way to implement solutions. #CleanUpTheMess

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

#CleanUpTheMess