Safer Opioid Prescribing

About the Safer Opioid Prescribing program

The Safer Opioid Prescribing program is offered in partnership with the University of Toronto. It’s evidence-based, free of industry conflicts of interest and accessible to busy physicians and healthcare professionals. The format of the program is a combination of three online webinars and one workshop.

While progress is being made towards safer opioid prescribing, management of opioids to treat chronic pain remains a significant patient safety challenge for Canadian healthcare professionals. Clear communication is a key element in managing this complex issue.

Consider Participating as a Team

A coordinated and highly effective approach to pain management can begin with team education in safer opioid prescribing. 

Group learning in opioid prescribing and management fosters a more supportive working environment, with groups sharing common communication strategies, language, and best practices to tackle this critical issue.

Program Benefits

• Feel prepared to assess and prescribe effectively, even in cases of complex chronic pain
• Share experiences of tough opioid prescribing challenges, including addiction, and learn from peers who have confronted similar situations
• Gain confidence in the application of the most recent Canadian Guidelines for Opioids
• Help reduce medicolegal risk through effective opioid prescribing and communication with patients
• Teams and colleagues who participate are equipped to tackle this critical issue together

Strengths of this Program

• Long-running with a proven track record of reducing the risks associated with pain management
• The curriculum reflects the 2017 Canadian Guideline for Opioids for Chronic Non-Cancer Pain
• Program and its faculty are held to the highest ethical standards, having no industry-related conflicts of interest
• Uses a best-practice education methodology to drive practice change

Topics Covered

• Multi-modal approaches to managing complex chronic pain
• Initiating and managing safer more effective opioid therapy
• Communication and collaboration skills to better manage opioid therapy for patients with chronic pain
• Preventing and addressing opioid use disorder

Duration

Three webinars (90-120 min) and one 1-day workshop

Registration

To register, and for additional program information including cost, specific session topics and learning objectives, visit the University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine CPD website

Accreditation

Webinar

College of Family Physicians of Canada
9.0 Mainpro+ credits

This Group Learning program meets the certification criteria of the College of Family Physicians of Canada and has been certified by Continuing Professional Development, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto for up to 9.0 Mainpro+ credits.

Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada
9.0 Section 1 Credits

This event is an Accredited Group Learning Activity (Section 1) as defined by the Maintenance of Certification Program of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, approved by Continuing Professional Development, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto. You may claim up to a maximum of 9.0 hours (credits are automatically calculated).

Assessing Complex Chronic Pain: 3.0 credits
Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain: 3.0 credits
Addressing Opioid Challenges & Addiction: 3.0 credits
Each participant should claim only those hours of credit that he/she actually spent participating in the educational program.

Workshop

College of Family Physicians of Canada
18.0 Mainpro+ credits

This Group Learning program meets the certification criteria of the College of Family Physicians of Canada and has been certified by Continuing Professional Development, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto for up to 18.0 Mainpro+ credits.

Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada
Maximum of 6 hours (credits are automatically calculated)

This activity is an Accredited Self-Assessment Program (Section 3) as defined by the Maintenance of Certification Program of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, and approved by Continuing Professional Development, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto. You may claim a maximum of 6 hours (credits are automatically calculated).

Additional Resources

• Accreditation Details
• Brochure