Overprescribing of opioids led to the development of the CDC guidelines for chronic pain which recommended opioid taper in patients when risk outweighed benefit, especially in patients receiving high dose opioids, in order to decrease risk of opioid-related adverse reactions and overdose potential. However, increased risk of harm has been reported in those who may have had opioids tapered inappropriately. This podcast will highlight the process for opioid tapering based on length of opioid therapy and potential harm from opioid use.
SPEAKERS
Maria Foy, PharmD, BCPS, CPE, is a clinical pharmacy specialist in Palliative Care at Jefferson Abington Hospital Jefferson Health. Maria graduated from Temple University with a BS in Pharmacy and received a non-traditional PharmD from the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia. In 2013, Maria earned her board certification in pharmacotherapy (BCPS). Maria has lectured on pain management, symptom management, chronic pain and substance use disorder topics nationally and locally.
Jenny Koehl, PharmD, BCPS is an emergency medicine clinical pharmacist and coordinator of the postgraduate year 2 Emergency Medicine Pharmacy Residency at Massachusetts General Hospital. After earning her PharmD degree at UCSF (2015), she returned to Wisconsin to complete her PGY-1 and PGY-2 Emergency Medicine pharmacy residencies (2015-2017) at the University of Wisconsin Health. Following residency, she moved to Boston to join the incredible EM team at MGH. Her passions include advancing pharmacy resident education and research training, mentorship, national committee involvement, and global health. Her clinical practice interests include neurology and cardiology.
Gretchen Lindsey, PharmD, serves as a vice president, Clinical Services for CPS. She is responsible for establishing and managing clinical programs, drug utilization evaluations, and implementation of cost containment processes. She is involved with activities such as Pharmacy and Therapeutic Committee meeting preparation and presentation, and provision of medication education to hospital staff. Dr. Lindsey is also the residency program director for the CPS PGY1/PGY2 Residency in Health-System Pharmacy Administration and Leadership with Masters.