Utah Providers
Can Make a Difference


Prescription opioids can lead to dependence, misuse, addiction, and overdose.

Utah Clinical Guidelines
For Prescribing Opioids

Utah Clinical Guidelines on Prescribing Opioids for Treatment of Pain were produced and made available to medical providers. These guidelines were developed by a multidisciplinary consensus panel after a review of existing evidence-based guidelines. Common recommendations were compiled and presented to the panel for review. The guidelines consist of a set of recommendations for both acute and chronic pain. A second panel reviewed existing tools for providers and determined the need for any new tools. The final guidelines include 20 tools for providers to use in their practice.

1

screen for mental illness

Don’t guess, assess. Research shows that when anxiety and depression are treated first, pain symptoms go down. Screen patients for opioid use disorder and mental health disorders. 65% of prescription opioid deaths involve someone with a current mental health issue. Risk assessment tools can help identify these individuals.

RISK ASSESSMENT TOOL

2

check the database

The Utah Controlled Substance Database program (CSD) is a prescription monitoring program that can be used to identify potential cases of drug abuse and over-prescribing. But the database is underutilized. Physicians fail to identify opioid abusers 86% of the time.

GET ACCESS TO DATABASE

3

explain the risks

Take time to make sure your patients understand the potential risks of opioids, even when taking as prescribed. If you do prescribe, start low and go slow. Talk about the warning signs of dependency and addiction. Discuss non-opioid treatment methods.

STOP THE OPIDEMIC BROCHURE

4

provide safeguards

Review the signs and symptoms of an overdose with the patient and their family. Make sure everyone understands what naloxone is, where to get it, and how to administer it. Remind them to always call 9-1-1 in case of an overdose, even if they have naloxone.

LEARN ABOUT NALOXONE

Additional Resources

Talk to your Patient Dental Toolkit

Prescription Opioids: What You Need to Know

Checklist For Prescribing Opioids

Non-Opioid Treatments For Chronic Pain

Providers Brochure

Alcohol Screening and Brief Intervention

Assessing Benefits & Harms of Opioid Therapy

Calculating Safer Daily Dose of Opioids

Controlled Substances Laws and Rules

Pocket Guide To Tapering

Stop the Opidemic Brochure

Summary Of Recommendations

Key Legislation

  • Controlled substance prescribers will be required to receive a one-time training. View legislation at 2017 H.B. 175, Eliason
  • Opioid prescriptions for acute, non-complex, non-chronic conditions will be limited to 7 days. View legislation at 2017 H.B. 90, Ward
  • Certain Insurances are required to report annually on their adoption of opioid risk-reduction policies. View legislation at 2017 H.B. 90, Ward
  • Certain Insurances are required to report annually on their adoption of opioid risk-reduction policies. View legislation at 2017 S.B. 258, Mayne
  • Department of Health to create guidelines for prescribers to co-prescribe naloxone with an opioid. View legislation at 2017 S.B. 258, Mayne
  • Establishes a process for an individual suffering from a substance use disorder to receive court-ordered essential treatment and intervention. View legislation at 2017 H.B. 286, Christensen

"We, as clinicians are uniquely positioned to turn the tide on the opioid epidemic."

Former US Surgeon General
Vivek H. Hurthy, M.D., M.B.A.

Take The Pledge