Target Audience

All healthcare professionals

Goals and Objectives

Both national- and state-level data show that overdose deaths associated with prescription opioids are increasing at an alarming rate. The increasing overdose deaths from illicitly manufactured fentanyl and other synthetic opioids compound this epidemic’s burden. These findings suggest the need for a system-wide public health response focused on the expansion of primary prevention and treatment efforts, including crisis services, harm reduction services, and recovery programs.

After participating in this activity learners should now know: (Knowledge)

• Opioid medications prescribed to patients with non-cancer pain are associated with very high risk of experiencing opioid use disorder and/or other associated severe risks for negative consequences opioid use such as morbidity/mortality, diversion opioid drugs, opioid abuse and opioid use disorder, and diversion of opioid drugs. 
• Use of prescribed opioid medications and/or illicit opioids have increased at an alarming rate for many years. Deaths due to opioids are now a leading cause of death in the U.S. 
• Reducing deaths due to opioids in the U.S. can be achieved by reducing opioid prescribing for non-cancer pain. Alternative interventions are available and effective for most cases of non- cancer pain in the U.S. 
• Reducing deaths in the U.S. due to opioids in the U.S. can be further mitigated by deregulating antidotes for emergency treatment for opioid overdoses. Emergency use of naloxone has been demonstrated to reduce deaths due to opioid overdoses. 

After participating in this activity learners should now be able to: (Competence)

• Develop better awareness and processes so non-opioid pain options to manage patients with non-cancer pain are used instead of opioids. 
• Develop improved evaluation and management processes for opioid use disorder. 
• Develop improved processes for reducing deaths due to overdoses of opioids. 

After participating in this activity leaners will be able to make the following change: (Performance)

• Develop better awareness and processes so non-opioid pain options to manage patients with non-cancer pain are used instead of opioids. 
• Develop improved evaluation and management processes for opioid use disorder. 
• Develop improved processes for reducing deaths due to overdoses of opioids. 

Course Information

CME Release Date:  May 31, 2024
Valid for credit through:  May 30, 2027
Course type: Journal CME/CE
Estimated time of completion: 1 hour
Maximum number of attempts: 3
Passing Score: 70%

Credits Available

Southern Medical Association is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

Southern Medical Association designates this Journal CME/CE activity for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

System Requirements and Instructions for Participation and Credit

System Requirements

• Learners must have Adobe Reader installed in order to view course content.
• The website is supported by the latest versions of most modern web browsers. In order to experience the website fully, please upgrade to the latest version of one of the following browsers: Google Chrome (recommended), Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, Apple Mobile Safari.
• JavaScript must be enabled. JavaScript should be enabled by default in your browser, but if not then please consult your browser's Help section for information on how to change this setting. Upgrade your browser to a version that supports JavaScript 1.2 or higher (see browser list above).
• Connection Speed Requirements - DSL or faster

Instructions for Participation and Credit

This activity is designed to be completed within the time designated; learners should claim only those credits that reflect the time actually spent in the activity. 

To successfully earn credit, participants must complete the activity online during the valid credit period noted, following these steps:

• Read the goals and objectives, accreditation information, and author disclosures.
• Login in below to study the educational content and references.
• Complete the evaluation and quiz.

Upon successful completion of these components, your certificate will be processed and emailed from customerservice@sma.org within approximately 1 hour. Credits will be archived for 6 years; at any point within this time period you may login to your account to print a duplicate copy of your certificate.