1. Wolverine Caucus – Removing the Opioid Epidemic In Our Communities: How evidence-based approaches could save lives!

    Mark Rivett posted January 24, 2019

    Tuesday, February 26, 2019

    MI Senate Binsfeld Office Building, 5th Floor, Room 5550
    201 Townsend St, Lansing, MI 48933
    11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

    View PDF

    The opioid epidemic continues to be a national emergency. Michigan set a new record for overdose deaths in 2018—an alarming trend that is predicted to continue for several years to come. Opioids are commonly prescribed after both minor and major surgical proce- dures for pain management. Overprescribing is a widespread problem and contributes to the opioid crisis currently claiming 134 American lives every day. With up to 92% of patients having leftover opioids after common operations, millions of pills are left vulner- able to diversion into our communities. The impact is acute in urban, suburban and rural communities alike. Understanding the many complex issues related to opioid overuse and overdose is extremely important in developing effective policy. Please join us to hear from an informative panel of experts from the University of Michigan who will discuss their research and recommendations for policy changes that could help Michigan stem the tide in this growing opioid crisis.

    Featured speakers:

    Romesh Nalliah

    Dr. Romesh Nalliah is the Director for Clinical Education at the U-M School of Dentistry and Clinical Associate Professor of Dentistry. He will discuss trends in opioid prescribing and overuse in dentistry and state and national level research related to prescribing and treatment. He will also discuss how opioid prescribing during the acute care period among those patients not using opioids has the greatest potential to reduce the number of new chronic opioid users and minimize unintended distribution of prescription opioids into communities.

    Dr. Michael Englesbe co-directs the Michigan Opioid Prescribing Engagement Network, Michigan OPEN. He will discuss the unique opportunities provided by collaborative quality initiatives (CQIs) in Michigan. CQIs are statewide, physician-led networks that are devoted to improving the care of patients in Michigan’s major hospitals and surgical specialties. Michigan OPEN partners with them to gather data and implement change to transform surgical pain management and curb opioid misuse.

    Dr. Rebecca Haffajee is the Policy Analysis Activities Lead, Policy Workgroup, Outreach and Translation Core, at the U-M Injury Prevention Center. She will discuss trends in state and national- level policies related to opioid prescribing and treatment, and the evidence base for several prominent state policies that target opioid misuse and overdose, prescription drug monitoring programs, pain clinic regulation and naloxone access laws.

    Panel Moderator: Dr. Chad Brummett is Associate professor of Anesthesiology and co-director of the Michigan Opioid Prescribing Engagement Network, Michigan OPEN