[April 14, 2014]

PRIUM's Mark Pew Discusses Opioid Weaning at CSIA Annual Meeting

PRIUM's Senior Vice President Mark Pew (News - Alert) will share strategies for weaning workers' compensation patients off opioids when he speaks at the annual meeting of the California Self-Insurers Association (CSIA) on April 22.

"The Meaning of Opioid Weaning" will highlight the complexity of weaning patients off opioids, especially when they are taking several drugs at the same time. "Chronic pain patients tend to take muscle relaxants, anti-anxiety meds, and other drugs because of the side effects that often come with opioid use," Pew said. "Different drug classifications have different tapering protocols, and decisions need to be made about what medication should be reduced first and how it should be reduced."

Because many physicians who treat injured workers prefer to not manage the weaning process, Pew's presentation will include objective criteria for selecting pain management and functional restoration programs. He will describe the role of drugs in chronic pain and the tapering process that needs to take the entire regimen into account. Pew will also review non-pharmacologic pain management strategies, such as physical therapy, biofeedback, yoga and Pilates. In ddition, he will cover the impact of psychosocial influences and comorbidities on pain and pain management.

"A patient's motivation and willingness to make life style changes plays a major role in how they will manage pain with fewer or no drugs and those are often overlooked," he said.

CSIA's 2014 Annual Meeting and Educational Conference annual meeting will be held April 22 at Disneyland in Anaheim, California; for more information, please see: http://caself-insurers.com/events-alt/.

About PRIUM

An Ameritox solutions provider, PRIUM sets the industry standard for workers' compensation medical interventions through its ability to secure higher agreement rates and to help ensure compliance with modified treatment plans. The hallmark of the medical intervention company's success is a collaborative physician engagement process encompassing evidence-based medicine, clinical oversight, and jurisdictional guidelines to facilitate optimal financial and clinical outcomes. PRIUM helps eliminate unnecessary treatment through a comprehensive approach that includes complex medical interventions, utilization reviews, urine drug monitoring, and independent medical exams. Based in Duluth, Ga., PRIUM can be reached at prium.com or 888.588.4964. For insight on workers' compensation medical issues, read PRIUM's blog at www.priumevidencebased.com.

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