Jack D'Angelo, MD, past president of the Richmond County Medical Society in New York, says patient safety is the most important thing to prevent opioid misuse, abuse and diversion, according to a Staten Island Advance report.
Dr. D'Angelo says the best way to keep patients safe is to ensure open and honest communication. This can be done by employing pain treatment agreements, which set ground rules for treatment, and urine drug tests, which can tell a physician if the patient is taking too much opioid medication, not taking enough opioid medication, taking illicit drugs, taking additional medication prescribed by another provider, potentially abusing or diverting medication or taking his or her medications as prescribed.
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Dr. D'Angelo says the best way to keep patients safe is to ensure open and honest communication. This can be done by employing pain treatment agreements, which set ground rules for treatment, and urine drug tests, which can tell a physician if the patient is taking too much opioid medication, not taking enough opioid medication, taking illicit drugs, taking additional medication prescribed by another provider, potentially abusing or diverting medication or taking his or her medications as prescribed.
Related Articles on Pain Management:
ASC Specialty to Watch: Pain Management in 2012
15 Statistics on Pain Management Case Revenue
Tennessee Requires Pain Management Clinics to Register with State