Prescribers are key to creating change in our community.
Thanks to exceptional local collaboration, Ventura County has seen a decrease in opioid prescribing in recent years – a 24% reduction between 2017 and 2020 – as providers have employed safe prescribing practices and increased use of non-narcotic pain management strategies.
Unfortunately, overdose deaths continue to climb, largely due to illegal fentanyl, which has replaced much of the local heroin use and is contributing to the rising number of overdose emergencies. As a concerned local provider, we invite you to join the Prescriber Discussion Series:
- Hear from local experts and discuss with peers the latest trends and best practices.
- Get provider-focused resources to reduce misuse and opioid use disorder (OUD).
- Learn the new State guidelines and latest tools for patient care and provider coordination.
Connecting because we care. For our patients and for our community.
PREVIOUS DISCUSSIONS
The Fentanyl Crisis: What You Need to Know Now
May 9, 2023 • 5:30–8:00 PM
Ventura County faces a crisis of fentanyl deaths. In 2022 there were 181 accidental overdose deaths involving fentanyl. In just three short years our county has experienced a 445% increase in fentanyl fatalities. However, these deaths only represent a fraction of the total number of Ventura County individuals, families, and communities harmed by substance misuse, and suffering daily from chronic use disorders. We invite you to join us in changing this reality.
In facing our local crisis, the importance of practitioner training in substance use disorders cannot be overstated. All members of a patient’s care team play important roles, but primary care providers are pivotal in providing increased access to treatment. The recent elimination of the X-waiver requirement to prescribe buprenorphine for opioid use disorder offers the chance to expand access to treatment in primary care settings, which can turn the tide of the opioid crisis.
PANELISTS
- Chris Young, M.D., Ventura County Chief Medical Examiner
- Sergeant John Hajducko, Ventura County Sheriff’s Office
- Joseph C. Vlaskovits, M.D., Psychiatry, Forensic Psychiatry, and Addiction Medicine, Program Director, Community Memorial Healthcare Psychiatry Residency Program; Faculty, Ventura County Medical Center Primary Care Addiction Medicine Fellowship; Medical Director, Substance Use Treatment Services, Ventura County Behavioral Health
- Tipu Khan, M.D., FAAFP, FASAM, Chief of Addiction Medicine at VCMC; Family, Emergency, and Addiction Medicine; Fellowship Director, Primary Care Addiction Medicine Fellowship; Faculty, Family Medicine Residency Program, Ventura County Medical Center; Adjunct Clinical Professor, USC Keck SOM
- Mathew Lamon, D.O., Family and Addiction Medicine; Core Faculty, Ventura County Medical Center Family Medicine Residency Program; Associate Program Director, VCMC Primary Care Addiction Medicine Fellowship
Latest Trends in Overdose: What Prescribers Need to Know About Illicit Fentanyl
May 11, 2022 • 5:30–7:30 PM
The CDC estimates that up to 83% of opioid overdose deaths in 2020 involved synthetic opioids. Join the discussion with other local medical leaders on what this means for local communities. Prescribers are key to preventing opioid misuse by patients that can progress to an opioid use disorder (OUD), illicit fentanyl use and subsequent death. If you are dedicated to improving health outcomes and patient well-being, please join the discussion.
PRESENTED BY
- Chris Young, MD, Ventura County Chief Medical Examiner
- Tipu V. Khan, MD, FAAFP, FASAM; Addiction Medicine Fellowship Director, VCMC
- Sergeant John Hajducko, Ventura County Sheriff’s Department
Evidence-based Safe Prescribing
June 8, 2022 • 5:30–7:30 PM
Join us for a review of local opioid prescribing trends. We’ll discuss how safe prescribing and use of CURES can prevent or reduce opioid misuse and opioid use disorder (OUD) in our patients. Hear from Tipu Khan MD, an author of the newest California Guidelines for Safe Opioid Prescribing, on how to utilize the newest guidelines in our practices. Learn how other local Primary Care and Pain Management Specialist use effective safe prescribing strategies to treat patients at risk of opioid misuse or opioid use disorder (OUD).
PRESENTED BY
- Tipu V. Khan, MD, FAAFP, FASAM; Addiction Medicine Fellowship Director, VCMC
- Kyle Stephens, DO, Family Medicine Specialist, Primary Care
- George Chang Chien, DO, Director of Pain Management, Ventura County Medical Center
Deprescribing is Good Prescribing
August 31, 2022 • 5:30–7:30 PM
Just as safe prescribing is an integral and effective strategy to prevent opioid use disorder, safe deprescribing is also key. In this workshop, we’ll discuss when, and how to safely and effectively taper patients from opioid usage. Is the deprescribing plan not working? Let’s talk about how to talk with patients about opioid use disorder and effective referrals to substance use treatment.
PRESENTED BY
- Tipu V. Khan, MD, FAAFP, FASAM; Addiction Medicine Fellowship Director, VCMC
- Kyle Stephens, DO, Family Medicine Specialist, Primary Care
- George C. Chang Chien, DO, Director of Pain Management, Ventura County Medical Center
PERSON-CENTERED STRATEGIES TO REDUCE OPIOID OVERDOSE
September 21, 2022 • 5:30–7:30 PM
Join the discussion on how as leaders in health care we can do our part in reversing the current opioid overdose death trend in our community. Learn more about the latest advances in opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment, how new approaches to integrated care and cutting-edge harm reduction strategies
can reduce overdoses in our community. Discuss how to educate patients on what they can do to prevent opioid misuse.
PRESENTED BY
- Loretta L. Denering, DrPH, MS; Assistant Director, Ventura County Behavioral Health
- Rachel McDuffee, PsyD; Regional Director Aegis Treatment Centers
- Tipu V. Khan, MD, FAAFP, FASAM; Addiction Medicine Fellowship Director, VCMC
For more information: Ashley.Nettles@ventura.org
PREVIOUS TRAININGS & EVENTS
- National Rx Drug Abuse & Heroin Summit 2019
- Western States Opioid Summit, San Diego - November 7 & 8, 2019
- COAST Year One Progress Event - November 12, 2019
- National Rx Drug Abuse & Heroin Summit 2018
- Opioid Solutions Summit - August 29, 2017
- Ventura County’s Benzodiazepine Performance Improvement Project Award, CAPH/SNI Annual Conference - December 7, 2016
- Informing the Community: Plane of Pills Media Event - May 18, 2016
- Safe Pain Medicine Prescribing Policy Launched Countywide - January 29, 2015
SUPPORTING PRESCRIBERS WITH TRAINING
Prescribers may underestimate the risks of opioid addiction while overestimating painkiller benefits. The Ventura County Rx Abuse & Heroin Workgroup offers prescribers, hospitals and clinics up-to-date information and training for safe prescribing and on-site patient education. Safe prescriber education addresses the opioid epidemic by training prescribers to respond before opioids are prescribed. See the Safe Prescribing Toolkit.
When opioids are used, start low and go slow:
- Assess pain and function
- Consider if non-opioid therapies are appropriate
- Talk to patients about treatment plan
- Evaluate risk of harm of misuses
- Identify drug misuse/addiction
- Query CURES 2.0 to confirm patient information
