Funding
OpioidCME was funded by grant #R44DA12066, contract #HHSN271200655304C, contracts #HHSN271200900003C and Grant #1R44DA027245-01 from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), as well as grants #1R43AA020456-01A1 and #2R44AA020456-02 from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism at the National Institutes of Health.
No Industry Support
All materials on this website were developed in an industry-fund-free environment. No industry funding was used to create this website or these educational activities.
Purpose
The lack of transfer from research into clinical practice is a challenge in all of medicine, including substance abuse treatment. There is a clear need for more primary care physicians and surgeons to become understand office-based buprenorphine practices and consider becoming waivered to prescribe this medication. The effectiveness of this treatment is supported by research, but few existing tools or resources are available to help primary care physicians (PCPs) and surgeons translate this research into practice.
Development
This project has developed a collection of tools and resources to support primary care physicians (PCPs) and surgeons in identifying, addressing, and treating opioid addiction in their patients.
Continuing Education Mission Statement
Clinical Tools, Inc. combines medicine, science, and technology to provide state-of-the-art online and training and education to improve patient care.
We strive to enhance the knowledge, skills, and practice of health care providers and trainees so they can improve patient health. Our standard incorporates the most up-to-date research and expert opinion. The company identifies content areas that are under-represented in current CME curricula, are skills-oriented and would benefit from internet delivery – including innovative uses of emerging technology.
Activity content is determined by analysis of gaps in performance, knowledge and competence, and patient outcomes, including national guidelines, best practices reports, user surveys, literature review, and consultations with experts. Our focus is on creating clinical skills-based training activities and evaluating each activity using metrics that relate to the targeted skills. Successful activities will improve competence, performance, skills, use of best practices, and patient outcomes. The impact is evaluated using both qualitative and quantitative methods to assure quality and to measure competence, skills, and behaviors essential to providing quality patient care and improving outcomes.
Clinical Tools does not participate in the delivery of complete and finalized training experiences. Nor do we participate when decisions have already been made regarding the practice gaps, content, delivery, authorship, or the assessment of the intervention. We only provide Category I CME (TM) for an activity when we are closely involved in meeting all of the ACCME requirements, including the collection, storage, and analysis of data on the impact of the activity on competence, performance, or patient outcomes.
Impact
OpioidCME is designed to positively impact patient outcomes via online training for providers. In addition to providing the knowledge and skills needed to address and treat opioid addiction safely and effectively or make appropriate referrals, the training highlights ways to collaborate and communicate effectively with patients using a patient-centered approach, including information sharing, respect, support, and patient empowerment.
Providers who complete OpioidCME will be able to establish rapport and cultivate a collaborative relationship with his or her patients to address their problems with opioids. Patients who are engaged in their own treatment are more likely to pay attention to and follow important instructions regarding treatment. Additionally, providers will understand the importance of developing an accepting and supportive atmosphere to help patients return to treatment if they relapse, a point at which many patients are tempted to leave treatment.
Accreditation
Clinical Tools, Inc. is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
Clinical Tools, Inc. is an NBCC-Approved Continuing Education Provider (ACEPTM) and may offer NBCC-approved clock hours for events that meet NBCC requirements. The ACEP solely is responsible for all aspects of the activity.
Dissemination
Clinical Tools, and its gaming division Health Impact Studio, strives to share knowledge gained through the testing and use of its products. You can see our latest conference presentations, as well as our published research articles, at the Health Impact Studio site.
Future Plans
We will continue expanding our OpioidCME curriculum to include further topics regarding the increase in opioid use and addiction. We envision that our bundled activities will be sold as a training tool for medical provider groups / offices in order to provide consistent and up-to-date education on this topic. This source of revenue will support any ongoing work needed to refine the product and allow consistent group training for these providers.
Acknowledgments
The content of this site has been put through multiple rounds of iterative usability testing with primary care physicians and revised and improved according to feedback. The contributions of our panel of expert reviewers have also been instrumental in the development of this website. Thanks also to the CTI staff members who helped to develop this website. Thank you to everyone who provided feedback as we developed the materials for this site.
