Connect to Fight RX Abuse
How Can Physicians Identify The Problem?
Recognize Signs & Symptoms
Use Screening & Assessment Instruments
Follow Your Established Procedures
Access Multidisciplinary ResourcesRecognize signs and symptoms of abuse, misuse, and diversion - Don’t be Scammed and know what to do when confronted as detailed by the DEA’s Office of Diversion Control
Use Screening and Assessment Instruments
Passik, Kirsh, & Casper (in press) reviewed the literature on 25 currently available screening and assessment tools. Some assess abuse potential in patients being considered for opioid therapy, whereas other tools screen for the presence of substance abuse. Excerpts of this review are provided below to help clinicians select the ones most appropriate for their patient population and screening needs.
Overall Chart of reviewed substance abuse tools and descriptions
Instruments classified by population (pdfs)
Screening tools in Non-pain populations
Risk-Assessment instruments for Pain Populations
Screening tools for Adolescent Populations
Instruments that assess for Current Misuse or Aberrant Behavior
Structured Interview Tools
Follow Your Established Procedures
Following established policies and practices that anticipate and address prescription drug problems will help reveal problems. Consistency is the key. Such procedures will also need to be periodically reviewed and revised based on experience.
Access Multidisciplinary Resources
Become familiar with other professionals and entities you and your office staff can readily turn to for information, assistance, and referral before these are needed. Examples include local pain specialists, substance abuse professionals and treatment organizations, psychologists, pharmacists, and your state’s prescription drug monitoring agency. Ideally, treatment for chronic pain will involve a multidisciplinary team.
