About Effective Prescribing of Opioids for Chronic Pain (EPOCH)
Effective Prescribing of Opioids for chronic Pain (Formerly “Safer Opioid Prescribing”) is among the longest running opioid CPD programs in the country. It offers a curriculum that reflects the updated 2024 Canadian Guideline for Opioids for Chronic Non-Cancer Pain.
Through engaging discussions and practical activities, the program’s three webinars and capstone workshop ensure that physicians and health care providers have the most up to date skills to effectively support people who live with chronic pain who are, or may be, prescribed opioids.
By attending the webinars, learners will better be able to:
• Employ multi-modal approaches to managing complex chronic pain
• Initiate & manage effective opioid analgesic therapy
• Prevent & address opioid use disorder.
In addition, learners who go on to complete the capstone workshop will better be able to:
• Communicate and collaborate with patients and other health care providers to optimize patient care.
Learning outcomes
This program is designed for health care professionals from multiple disciplines looking to improve their understanding of complex chronic pain management. It will be of benefit to those who wish to become familiar with important opioid prescribing practice tools, the Canadian Guidelines for Opioids and strategies for effective management of patients with complex chronic pain.
Program structure
Effective Prescribing of Opioids for Chronic Pain (EPOCH) has two components: three, two-hour webinars and a day-long workshop. The webinars are focused on increasing knowledge and building essential skills, whereas the workshop will help learners deepen skills and practice. Learners may opt to only complete the webinars; while, the webinars are a pre-requisite for the workshop (see below for more information).
Program Component 1 - Three interactive webinars
The first round of webinars will be held monthly. Each webinar is 2 hours long.
1. Assessing and managing complex chronic pain
Learning outcomes:
• Recognize the complex illness experience of chronic pain;
• Complete a comprehensive assessment of patients with chronic pain;
• Implement multimodal approaches to chronic pain management, including opioids when indicated;
• Evaluate the utility of different opioids to manage chronic pain.
2. Prescribing opioids for chronic pain
Learning outcomes:
• Initiate opioids for the management of chronic pain;
• Evaluate, monitor and support your patients living with chronic pain and using opioids;
• Taper, switch and discontinue opioid therapy when risks outweigh benefits;
• Collaborate with other healthcare professionals to support patients managing chronic pain
3. Opioid use disorder in primary care
Learning outcomes:
• Recognize your responsibility to address opioid use disorder (OUD) in your patients;
• Diagnose OUD;
• Explore how stigma affects people living with OUD;
• Discuss OUD treatment with your patients, especially opioid agonist therapy.
Program Component 2 - Capstone workshop, “Challenging Cases in Opioid Use”
This small group problem based interactive workshop builds on the knowledge and expertise shared in the first three webinars. Learners who complete the three webinars will be invited to register for the capstone workshop. The workshop can be held online or in person.
Learning outcomes:
• Recognize and address possible risks and complications of opioid prescribing.
• Implement clinical skills for safer prescribing of opioids.
• Identify Opioid Use Disorder and outline treatment options.
• Effectively communicate with chronic pain patients.
Event collaborators:
• Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Toronto
• University of Toronto Centre for the Study of Pain
Course outline
Interested in EPOCH?
Pain BC would like to partner with interested organizations to hold this program in any Canadian province or territory. The program can be run entirely online or the workshop can be in person. If you are interested in offering this program in your area, please apply now.
Faculty
Kathleen Doukas, MD, CCFP, MScCH
• Family Physician and Lecturer, St. Michael’s Hospital, Toronto.
• Hospital Program Director, Undergraduate Education, Family Medicine, St. Michael’s Hospital
Kirsten Dixon, MD, CCFP
• Staff Physician, St. Michael’s Hospital
• Staff Physician, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
• Staff Physician, Inner City Health Associates
• Lead Physician, Seaton House
Abhimanyu Sud, MD, PhD, CCFP, FCFP
• Assistant Professor and Clinician Investigator, Department of Family and Community Medicine, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto
• Research Chair, Primary Care and Population Health Systems, Humber River Health
• Chief Scientific Officer, Chronic Pain Centre of Excellence for Canadian Veterans