Education & Resources for Physicians
The Massachusetts Medical Society urges physicians to learn more about the opioid crisis that continues to devastate the lives of so many. Addiction is a chronic relapsing disease that impacts the structure and function of the brain. Physicians
therefore need to be at the front lines of both prevention and treatment. Screening for substance use disorders is an essential part of healthcare because early diagnosis and treatment facilitates recovery.
The nexus of pain management and addiction remains a complex challenge for physicians too. Assessing the risks and benefits in pain treatment is an ongoing process, while keeping in mind that understanding how to prescribe opioids is our medical responsibility.
It is essential to know when and how to help patients who either become dependent or addicted to opioids, by providing care ourselves or knowing where patients can receive evidence based treatment as soon as possible. Understanding the co-morbidities
often seen in patients suffering from addiction is also important because treatment of psychiatric issues may be a critical part of recovery.
Being informed and building practice resources to meet these needs is essential. Learning more about pain management, opioids, addiction and treatment can only strengthen our practices and ultimately improve the health and well being of our patients.
Massachusetts Consultation Service for the Treatment of Addiction and Pain (MCSTAP)
- Offers real-time phone consultation to primary care practices on safe prescribing and managing care for adults with chronic pain and/or substance use disorder
- Consults on questions across a broad range of topics, from managing medications (including opioids, MAT and non-opioid pain medications) to pain management strategies
- Provides information on community-based resources to address the needs of these patients
- Available Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- Provides free consultations on all patients statewide, regardless of insurance
- Staffed by physician consultations with extensive expertise in treating addiction and pain management
- To reach MCSTAP, call 1-833-PAIN-SUD (1-833-724-6783)
- Funded by the Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services
Explore these topics to learn more…
General Information
Understanding the Opioid
Epidemic
Opioid Prescribing
Guidelines
Massachusetts Opioid
Prescribing Laws
Prescription Drug
Monitoring Program — Using MassPAT
Pain and Opioids
Assessment Tools for
Chronic Pain
Prescribing Opioids
for Chronic Pain
Tapering Opioids
Addiction Risk
Assessment and Patient Agreements
Patient Education
about Opioids
Pain Management for
High Risk Patients: Patients in Recovery,
Pediatric Patients and Elderly
National Pain
Associations: For Professionals and Patients
Opioid Use Disorder
Learning More about
Opioid Use Disorder
Preventing Opioid Use
Disorder
Screening for
Substance Use Disorders
Understanding
Addiction, Treatment and Recovery
What is Physical
Dependence, Tolerance, Addiction?
The Stigma of
Addiction- A Barrier to Treatment and Recovery
Treatment and Recovery
Evidenced Based
Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder: Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT)
Treatment in Massachusetts
Learn more about becoming a buprenorphine provider
Treating Special
Populations with Opioid Use Disorder
- Pregnancy, New Mothers and Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS)
- Teens
- Criminal Justice Involved Individuals
Patient Resources
Support Groups
Harm Reduction
What is Harm
Reduction?
Strategies
Overdose Prevention:
Naloxone and Resources
Needle Exchanges
Safe Injection
Facilities (SIF’s)
Risk Management
Online CME’s
“Identifying Drug Dependence”
Utilizing MassPAT
E-Prescribing
Safe Storage and
Disposal
Ongoing Medical Education
The Core Competencies for Graduate Medical Education
Online Mentoring Programs for prescribing
opioids and treating OUD
Free online CME’s
Resources
