Activity Description

As the US grapples with the public health emergency of the overdose crisis, our contribution as the medical community requires a multi-faceted approach involving all medical specialties and integrated into both outpatient and inpatient settings.

Target Audience

MD, DO, Pharmacist, Nurse Practitioner, Occupational Therapist, Respiratory Therapist, Dentist, Dietician, Audiologist, Sonographer, Licensed Practical Nurse, Nurse Anesthetist, Therapist, Optometrist, Surgeon, Psychiatrist, Anesthesiologist, Podiatrist, Registered Nurse, Paramedic, Emergency Medical Technician, Other

Goals and Objectives

For the last 2 years, annual overdose deaths have exceeded 100,000 individuals in the US -- mostly driven by fentanyl but with increasing involvement of stimulants. Despite having highly effective medications to treat opioid use disorder, a minority of patients receive them. The audience will first identify the impact of substance use on morbidity and mortality in the South, then recognize addiction as a treatable medical disease, and lastly discover concrete actions for improving addiction care in their practices.

At the conclusion of the activity, learners should be better prepared to:

• Identify the impact of substance use on morbidity and mortality in the South.
• Recognize addiction as a treatable medical disease.
• Discover concrete actions for improving addiction care in their practices.

Course Information

CME Release Date:  May 5, 2024
Valid for credit through:  May 4, 2027
Course type: Enduring Material
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 Live Course activity for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. 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. 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.