Below is a paragraph from the CDC guidelines for opiate prescribing… that is specific about them not applying to those receiving palliative care
Below that is two ICD-10 billing codes for palliative care… specifically for pain..
Below that is the WHO (World Health Organization ) definition of what palliative care is
Palliative care is normally part of Hospice care…but… palliative care can be provided as a separate/distinctive modality of care.
In 2015 the Florida Board of Pharmacy has to pass a new regulation that requires Pharmacists NOT TO START LOOKING FOR A REASON NOT TO FILL A CONTROLLED PRESCRIPTION…but to first start looking for a reason to fill one… attempting to do their due diligence to perceived RED FLAGS.
With the publishing of the CDC guidelines has all too many prescribers… in fear/paranoia of the DEA coming around trying to apply the DEA “guidelines” as the law chosen to use the most restrictive part of the dosing guidelines (90 mg/day Morphine Equivalents) as a mandatory limits… regardless of what the rest of the guidelines state about those exempt from those limits. Those chronic pain pts who chose to actively participate in their own care and attempt to educate their prescriber about the full intent of the CDC guidelines may not only get better care for themselves, but also for other pts using the same prescriber.
http://www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/prescribing/patients.html
CDC developed the new Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain to help primary care providers make informed prescribing decisions and improve patient care for those who suffer from chronic pain (pain lasting more than 3 months) in outpatient settings. The guideline is not intended for patients who are in active cancer treatment, palliative care, or end-of-life care.
Generalized pain R52 Pain, unspecified
WHO Definition of Palliative Care
Palliative care is an approach that improves the quality of life of patients and their families facing the problem associated with life-threatening illness, through the prevention and relief of suffering by means of early identification and impeccable assessment and treatment of pain and other problems, physical, psychosocial and spiritual. Palliative care:
- provides relief from pain and other distressing symptoms;
- affirms life and regards dying as a normal process;
- intends neither to hasten or postpone death;
- integrates the psychological and spiritual aspects of patient care;
- offers a support system to help patients live as actively as possible until death;
- offers a support system to help the family cope during the patients illness and in their own bereavement;
- uses a team approach to address the needs of patients and their families, including bereavement counselling, if indicated;
- will enhance quality of life, and may also positively influence the course of illness;
- is applicable early in the course of illness, in conjunction with other therapies that are intended to prolong life, such as chemotherapy or radiation therapy, and includes those investigations needed to better understand and manage distressing clinical complications.
Filed under: General Problems
Thank you, Steve for helping patients. Also, it’s my understanding the guidelines are for only primary care physicians. Pain management doctors and other specialists, neurologists, etc., are not meant to follow these guidelines even though they are doing just that.