New Florida law guides non-opioid alternatives to treat pain
Designed to help address the opioid epidemic, Florida legislation passed in June imposes additional requirements on health care providers before issuing Schedule II opioid drugs for anesthesia or the treatment of pain.
Before prescribing, ordering, dispensing or administering these drugs, the law outlines specific steps to take. Providers must inform the patient about non-opioid alternatives for pain treatment, discuss the advantages and disadvantages of these alternatives, provide an informational pamphlet developed by the
Florida Department of Health, and document the exchange in the patient’s medical record.
At UF Health, a multidisciplinary work group has been clarifying the measure to determine how faculty and staff can best adhere to the guidelines. They have
addressed complexities such as the unique needs of surgical patients and how often to repeat the steps to inform a patient during their ongoing treatment of pain.
In the spring, watch for updated guidelines customized for our hospitals, outpatient practices and surgical services. Streamlined steps added in Epic and clear instructions and guidance from faculty, nursing and pharmacy leaders will support our providers and the optimize, safe clinical care we provide.
UF partners with Trualta on new study of family caregiver education program
The University of Florida is collaborating with Trualta, a Canadian company that develops educational programs to caregivers, to evaluate the program’s impact on caregiver confidence and wellness.
The study will follow caregivers of a person with dementia or mild cognitive impairment who is having surgery, to determine if the program can reduce caregiver burden and improve patient care.
Participants will use a training website for six months, choosing the modules that address their needs and interests. Then they we will respond to surveys asking about their confidence with caregiving skills at the start, end and throughout the intervention.
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