Health Policy Analysis Part II

Options Analysis

Mandate Additional Training

In response to this public health crisis, Kentucky policymakers have a variety of options available to them. First, they could pass legislation requiring physicians to complete a certain amount of training on pain management and safe prescribing practices before being allowed to prescribe opioids. The current opioid epidemic in the United States has been labeled as the worst drug crisis in American history. In 2015, over 33,000 people died from an opioid overdose, and the majority of those deaths were caused by prescription opioids. In Kentucky, opioids are a major problem, with 1,404 overdose deaths in 2016. The high number of overdoses is due in part to the fact that opioids are very easy to obtain. In Kentucky, there are no limits on the amount of opioids that a physician can prescribe, and there is no mandatory training on pain management or safe prescribing practices. This lack of regulation has allowed physicians to prescribe large amounts of opioids without any oversight, contributing to the current crisis. Legislation that would require physicians to complete a certain amount of training on pain management and safe prescribing practices before being allowed to prescribe opioids would help to prevent future overdoses and save lives. The training would ensure that physicians are knowledgeable about the risks associated with opioids and how to safely prescribe them. It would also help to create a system of accountability, so that physicians who prescribe large quantities of opioids can be identified and monitored. This type of legislation would be good for public health in Kentucky and would help to reduce the number of overdoses in the state.

Pros

Proponents of mandatory training argue that it is necessary in order to reduce the number of prescription drug overdoses and deaths. They contend that doctors need to be better educated on the risks associated with pain medications and how to safely prescribe them. Additional training could help doctors and nurses, in the long run, to save lives (Scrivani et al., 2021).

Cons

Opponents of mandatory training argue that it is an unnecessary burden on doctors, who are already required to complete a significant amount of continuing education. They also argue that such training would do little to reduce the number of overdoses and deaths, as most of these cases involve patients who misuse or abuse their medication.

Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP)

Second, they could establish a statewide prescription drug monitoring program to track prescriptions and identify patterns of abuse. Currently, Kentucky is one of only a handful of states in the nation that does not have a statewide prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP). A PDMP is a database that tracks prescriptions for controlled substances, such as painkillers (Fink et al., 2018). It can help identify patterns of abuse and help pharmacists and physicians make informed decisions about prescribing controlled substances. In addition, a PDMP can help to prevent doctor shopping, where patients visit multiple doctors to obtain multiple prescriptions for controlled substances (Young et al., 2019). Establishing a statewide PDMP would be good for public health in Kentucky for several reasons. It would help to identify and track individuals who are abusing prescription drugs. Additionally, it would help to prevent doctor shopping and the associated costs, such as emergency room visits. Plus, it would give pharmacists and physicians better tools to make informed decisions about prescribing controlled substances.

Pros

There are several potential benefits of PDMPs. First off, they can help...…have a profound impact on quality of life. Despite this, pain management is often undertreated. A major reason for this is that physicians receive little training in pain management during their medical education (Schnell & Currie, 2018). Furthermore, there are no safe prescribing practices in place to ensure that opioids are only prescribed when absolutely necessary. As a result, it is essential that pain management training be made mandatory for all physicians. Additionally, safe prescribing practices should be put into place to ensure that opioids are only used when other options have been exhausted. By taking these steps, we can help to ensure that chronic pain sufferers receive the treatment they need.

Additionally, in Kentucky, the rates of opioid prescription abuse have been on the rise in recent years. In response to this growing problem, the state needs to implement an initiative aimed at stopping prescription drug abuseone that will work. It is time to hold doctors and nurses more accountable for their role in prescription abuse and misuse. Everyone must do his or her part.

Conclusion

The opioid epidemic in the United States has become a public health crisis, with the number of overdoses and deaths continuing to rise each year. One way to help stop this problem is to mandate that doctors and nurses undergo pain management training and safe prescribing practices training. By ensuring that those who are prescribing opioids understand how to safely and effectively manage pain, we can help to reduce the risk of prescription abuse and misuse. In addition, this training can help to educate providers on the signs of addiction and how to refer patients to treatment if necessary. By mandating this training for all provider, we can help to protect patients and…