clearly defined role.
The landscape in Ontario has evolved with the devel-
opment of the narcotics monitoring system (NMS), a
consolidated database of all narcotics prescriptions in
Ontario, managed by the Ministry of Health and Long-
Term Care. Its development has improved the under-
standing of prescribing practices across the province.
The College continues to advocate for a comprehensive
prescription monitoring program that will provide real
time access to prescribers.
Following is just some of the activity underway led by
system partners that will help to strengthen physician
prescribing practices:
Real Time Access to Patient Medication Profiles
The Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, as the
guardian of prescribing information in Ontario, has
committed to improving access to p atient medication
profiles for prescribers. Physicians require real-time ac-
cess to patient prescribing information to inform best
prescribing practices.
Comparative Opioid Prescription Data
Health Quality Ontario (HQO) has been tasked with
including opioid prescribing indictors in the existing
Primary Care Practice Reports, which provide indi-
vidual physicians with key measurements and feedback
information to support quality improvement within
their practices. Providing physicians with informa-
tion about their own prescribing practices will support
their efforts to prescribe opioids appropriately. HQO
is also developing quality standards relating to opi-
oid use disorder; opioid prescribing for chronic pain;
and opioid prescribing for acute pain. The College’s
Prescribing Drugs policy reflects that quality stan-
dards from HQO should be considered and applied,
as appropriate.
Guidelines
The Michael G. DeGroote National Pain Centre at
McMaster University led an international team of clini-
cians, researchers and patients in the development of new
national clinical guidelines for the prescribing of opioids
for chronic non-cancer pain. The College released a state-
ment in response to the updated guidelines.
Updated Medical Education
Faculties of medicine and relevant national education
bodies are responsible for ensuring that medical educa-
tion is objective, accurate, and up-to-date with respect
to the appropriate and effective prescribing of opioids.
The Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada,
for example, has committed to have faculty experts
review opioid education activities currently in use across
Canada, and create a repository of education products
that reflect best practice and provide them to all facul-
ties. Various other stakeholders in medical education
have also committed to undertake specific actions to
evaluate and improve medical education with respect to
opioids, including the Canadian Federation of Medical
Students, the College of Family Physicians of Canada,
and the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of
Canada. These commitments are captured in the Joint
Statement of Action to Address the Opioid Crisis.
Looking Forward
Through our opioid strategy, the College has identified
and committed to a specific plan of action within its
own area of responsibility of medical regulation, and is
committed to reporting on progress. Prescribing opioids
under the right conditions is critical for good patient
care. Our goal is to ensure that physicians have the
resources and information they need to appropriately
prescribe opioids to their patients.
MD
ISSUE 3, 2017 DIALOGUE
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