It is VHA policy that, prior to initiating long-term opioid therapy for pain (90 days or greater on a daily or intermittent basis 3 Ethical Standard for treatment of non-cancer pain) VHA opioid prescribers must complete the patient education and informed consent Description process which includes: providing the nationally standardized patient information guide, reviewing and discussing the Describe the ethical content of the patient information guide, obtaining signature consent, offering a copy of the signed consent form to standard, including any exclusions to the patient, and asking women of childbearing age about pregnancy status and pregnancy intention. standard. To describe the ethical standard, Locally created opioid pain care agreements will no longer be permitted. Instead staff and patients should use the provide the section of patient information guide for Your Safety and the Safety of Others: Patient titled, “Taking Opioids Responsibly the standard that Information Guide on Long-term Opioid Therapy for with the consent form for Long-Term Pain” along titled “Consent describes (or at least Opioid Therapy for Pain”. approximates) what the expected practice or Exclusions: consent form is optional for prescribing short-term opioids, patients receiving hospice care, behavior should be. patients receiving opioids for cancer pain. Signature informed consent through the use of the standardized patient-centered consent form, for Long-term 4 Best Ethics Practice “Consent Opioid Therapy for in iMedConsent) should be completed for patients on long-term opioid therapy for Pain,” (available “Should” pain unless they are receiving short-term opioids, enrolled in hospice care or receiving long-term opioids for cancer pain. Draft an operational definition of best ethics practice based on the ethical standard(s) and the specific ethics issue Numerator: 5 Current Ethics The number of patients receiving long-term opioid therapy for pain with a completed for Long-Term Opioid “Consent Practice Metric Therapy for consent form in their EHR. Pain” Describe the numerator Denominator: and denominator for this issue. The total number of patients receiving long-term opioid therapy for pain. National data located at: Short URL: Long URL (in case the shorter one has any issues working):
3 Ethical Standard Description Describe the ethical standard, including any exclusions to the standard. To describe the ethical standard, provide the section of the standard that describes (or at least approximates) what the expected practice or behavior should be. It is VHA policy that, prior to initiating long-term opioid therapy for pain (90 days or greater on a daily or intermittent basis for treatment of non-cancer pain) VHA opioid prescribers must complete the patient education and informed consent process which includes: providing the nationally standardized patient information guide, reviewing and discussing the content of the patient information guide, obtaining signature consent, offering a copy of the signed consent form to patient, and asking women of childbearing age about pregnancy status and pregnancy intention. Locally created opioid pain care agreements will no longer be permitted. Instead staff and patients should use the patient information guide titled, “Taking Opioids Responsibly for Your Safety and the Safety of Others: Patient Information Guide on Long-term Opioid Therapy for Pain” along with the consent form titled “Consent for Long-Term Opioid Therapy for Pain”. Exclusions: consent form is optional for prescribing short-term opioids, patients receiving hospice care, patients receiving opioids for cancer pain. 4 Best Ethics Practice “Should” Draft an operational definition of best ethics practice based on the ethical standard(s) and the specific ethics issue Signature informed consent through the use of the standardized patient-centered consent form, “Consent for Long-term Opioid Therapy for Pain,” (available in iMedConsent) should be completed for patients on long-term opioid therapy for pain unless they are receiving short-term opioids, enrolled in hospice care or receiving long-term opioids for cancer pain. 5 Current Ethics Practice Metric Describe the numerator and denominator for this issue. Numerator: The number of patients receiving long-term opioid therapy for pain with a completed “Consent for Long-Term Opioid Therapy for Pain” consent form in their EHR. Denominator: The total number of patients receiving long-term opioid therapy for pain. National data located at: Short URL: Long URL (in case the shorter one has any issues working):