Opioid-related morbidity and mortality is a public health emergency strongly related prescription opioid use. Pharmacist are well positioned to reduce risks associated with opioid prescriptions and serve as a resource for other harms reduction activities. RESPOND - Resources Encouraging Safe Prescription Opioid and Naloxone Dispensing – is intended to help community pharmacists identify patients for whom an opioid prescription may present a safety risk, communicate more effectively with patients at the point of care, and coordinate with prescribers to maximize patient safety in the use of prescription opioid pain relievers.

This course is presented in three parts. The first will provide background information on the history and current status of the opioid epidemic in the United States. The second will focus on the history and recommended strategies for use of Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs (PDMPs) in community pharmacists’ daily workflow; the development and diffusion of PDMPs across the country has greatly enhanced the ability of pharmacists to screen for potential hazardous opioid prescribing. The third will provide tools and strategies for identifying at-risk patients and facilitating supportive, effective communication with prescribers and patients around opioid safety.

This program was funded through a grant from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.