Centre for Addiction
and Mental Health

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Safe and Effective Use of Opioids for Chronic Non-cancer Pain Online Course

Description/Learning objectives

This online course provides health care workers with evidence-based tools and recommendations from the Canadian Guidelines for Safe and Effective Use of Opioids for Chronic Non-cancer Pain. This course will guide you through the Opioid Manager, a point-of-care tool that condenses key elements of the Canadian Guideline which you can use with your interprofessional team in clinical practice or primary care settings.

Learning objectives

After successfully completing the course, participants will be able to:

collaborate routinely with other health care professionals addressing a patient's chronic non-cancer pain
identify patients who may be suitable candidates for opioid therapy by following Canadian Guideline* recommendations
identify patients at risk for opioid addiction and misuse
discuss with patients and their treatment team the effectiveness of opioids in treating chronic non-cancer pain
safely conduct an opioid trail by following Canadian Guideline recommendations
safely monitor patients on long-term opioid therapy by following Canadian Guideline recommendations

Target audience

This course is open to health care providers collaborating in the treatment of patients with chronic non-cancer pain (e.g., physicians, pain specialists, addiction specialists, mental health clinicians, pharmacists, nurses, dentists, social workers, occupational therapists, physiotherapists and psychologists).

Time/Date/Location

August 12 - 30, 2013

October 14 - November 1, 2013

January 20 - February 7, 2014

At any location with a computer and an Internet connection.

Delivery method

The course consists of three self-directed online modules, which are open for six weeks.

Cost

$275 Registration Fee

$137.50 CAMH Registration Fee

Faculty

Dr. Andrea Furlan, MD, Associate Scientist, Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, UHN and Assistant Professor, Dept. of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto.

Beth Sproule, Pharm. D. Advanced Practice Pharmacist / Clinician Scientist, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Pharmacy and Dept. of Psychiatry, University of Toronto.

Requirements/Prerequisites

Participants who are not pursing the Certificate have the option of taking elective courses independently.

The certificate program consists of the Opioid Dependence Treatment Core Course (ODT) and three or four elective courses (listed below):

Certification/Credits

Participants interested in obtaining a Certificate in Opioid Dependence Treatment must complete the ODT Core Course plus three or four elective courses to meet the certificate requirement of a total of 39 or more hours.

All professionals are encouraged to complete the entire certificate program, to improve their skills and knowledge in treating opioid dependence. As of January 1, 2009, physicians are required to complete the certificate program within three years of receiving their methadone exemption.

Participants who are not pursing the Certificate have the option of taking elective courses independently.

Accreditation

This course is held under the auspices of the office of Continuing Education and Professioal Development, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, and the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH)

This course meets the accreditation criteria of:

The College of Family Physicians of Canada - 12.0 Mainpro - M1 credits
The Royal College of Physicians & Surgeons of Canada - 12.0 Section 1 credits
The Canadian Addiction Counsellors Certification Federation (CACCF) -

12 CEC hours

Affiliation/Partnerships

CAMH is affiliated with the University of Toronto and been partner with the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute.

Course resources

National Opioid Use Guidelin Group (2010). Part B: Recommendations for Practice. In Canadian Guideline for Safe and Effective Use of Opioids for Chronic Non-cancer Pain. Hamilton, ON; Author