AI-Driven Adaptive Learning Focused on Managing Opioid Risk in Active Military Service Members and Veterans

Activity Overview

This AI-driven, adaptive learning online activity was designed to educate healthcare providers about the treatment and monitoring of patients with pain, with a special emphasis on the unique needs of those patients who are active military or Veterans. The activity focuses on optimal patient assessment and opioid prescribing practices; demonstrates methods to address substance use disorder and deaths from overdose; and ensures that the benefits of therapy outweigh the risks, while maintaining patient access to necessary pain medications. This education is compliant with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 2023 Blueprint and the Opioid Analgesic Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) educational requirements. This activity will provide perspective as to how acute and chronic pain affects military service members and the military Veteran community, while still being applicable to patients in the general population.

Target Audience

The intended audience includes physicians, nurse practitioners, physician associates, dentists, pharmacists, nurses, psychologists, social workers and other healthcare professionals working with the underserved high-risk populations of active military members and veterans managing acute and chronic pain.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of the educational activity, participants should be able to:

• Discuss the need for comprehensive pain education.
• Define and classify different types of pain.
• Identify patients who are Veterans or active military members to ensure individualized plans of care.
• Create effective pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic pain treatment plans.
• Assess patients being treated with extended-release/long-acting (ER/LA) opioids to determine optimal pain management.
• Describe appropriate initiation, management, and discontinuation of therapy for acute and chronic pain.
• Explain how to modify doses of opioids to alleviate risk of opioid use disorder.
• Identify signs of opioid use disorder in Veterans and active military members considering their unique psychosocial issues, coping mechanisms and military experiences.
• Counsel patients and caregivers about the safe use of opioid analgesics, including proper storage and disposal.
• Discuss general and product-specific drug information concerning opioids.

Collaborators

AKH and VHWF worked collaboratively with specialists in substance pharmacology and the assessment and management of substance use disorders from the American College of Medical Toxicology (ACMT).

Criteria for Success

To obtain credit for this activity, you must successfully complete the entire activity and the evaluation form. You will automatically be issued a certificate of completion. There is no fee to participate in this activity. If you have questions about this activity, please contact AKH Inc. at JGoldman@akhcme.com.

CE credit provided by AKH Inc., Advancing Knowledge in Healthcare.

In support of improving patient care, this activity has been planned and implemented by AKH Inc., Advancing Knowledge in Healthcare and Veterans Health and Wellness Foundation (VHWF). AKH Inc., Advancing Knowledge in Healthcare is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

This activity was planned by and for the healthcare team, and learners will receive 3.0 Interprofessional Continuing Education (IPCE) credit for learning and change.

Physicians

AKH Inc., Advancing Knowledge in Healthcare designates this enduring material for a maximum of 3.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Nurses

Credit being awarded: 3.0 ANCC contact hours

Pharmacists

AKH Inc., Advancing Knowledge in Healthcare designates this continuing education activity for 3.0 contact hours.

Physician Associates

AKH Inc., Advancing Knowledge in Healthcare has been authorized by the American Academy of Physician Associates (AAPA) to award AAPA Category 1 CME credit for activities planned in accordance with AAPA CME Criteria. This activity is designated for 3.0 AAPA Category 1 CME credits. Approval is valid until 10/15/2025. PAs should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation.

Nurse Practitioners

This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the Accreditation Standards of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) through the joint providership of AKH Inc., Advancing Knowledge in Healthcare and Veterans Health and Wellness Foundation (VHWF). AKH Inc., Advancing Knowledge in Healthcare is accredited by the American Association of Nurse Practitioners as an approved provider of nurse practitioner continuing education. Provider number: 030803. This activity is approved for 3.0 contact hour(s) (which includes 2.5 hour(s) of pharmacology).

Dental

AKH Inc., Advancing Knowledge in Healthcare is an ADA CERP Recognized Provider. ADA CERP is a service of the American Dental Association to assist dental professionals in identifying quality providers of continuing dental education. ADA CERP does not approve or endorse individual courses or instructors, nor does it imply acceptance of credit hours by boards of dentistry. Concerns or complaints about a CE provider may be directed to the provider or to the Commission for Continuing Education Provider Recognition at ADA.org/CERP.

AKH Inc., Advancing Knowledge in Healthcare designates this activity for 3.0 continuing education credits.

Concerns or complaints about a CE provider may be directed to the provider, or to the Commission for Continuing Education Provider Recognition at ADA.org/CERP.

Psychologists

Continuing Education (CE) credits for psychologists are provided through the co-sponsorship of the American Psychological Association (APA) Office of Continuing Education in Psychology (CEP). The APA CEP Office maintains responsibility for the content of the programs.

Social Workers

As a Jointly Accredited Organization, AKH Inc., Advancing Knowledge in Healthcare is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved under this program. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. AKH Inc. Advancing Knowledge in Healthcare maintains responsibility for this course. Social workers completing this course receive 3.0 ethics, clinical, cultural competence, and general continuing education credits.

Commercial Support

This activity is supported by an independent educational grant from the Opioid Analgesic REMS Program Companies.

Please see https://www.opioidanalgesicrems.com/Resources/Docs/List_of_RPC_Companies.pdf for a listing of REMS Program Companies. This activity is intended to be fully compliant with the Opioid Analgesic REMS education requirements issued by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Disclosures

None of the faculty, planners, reviewers or staff for this educational activity have relevant financial relationship(s) to disclose with ineligible companies whose primary business is producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing healthcare products used by or on patients. All of the relevant financial relationships listed for these individuals have been mitigated.

Planners

Independent Reviewer

Medical Writer

Conflicts of Interest Disclosure Policy

It is the policy of AKH Inc. to ensure independence, balance, objectivity, scientific rigor, and integrity in all of its continuing education activities. The author must disclose to the participants any significant relationships with ineligible companies whose products or devices may be mentioned in the activity or with the commercial supporter of this continuing education activity. Identified conflicts of interest are mitigated by AKH prior to accreditation of the activity. AKH planners and reviewers have no relevant financial relationships to disclose.

Disclosure of Unlabeled Use and Investigational Product

This educational activity may include discussion of uses of agents that are investigational and/or unapproved by the FDA. Please refer to the official prescribing information for each product for discussion of approved indications, contraindications, and warnings.

Disclaimer

This course is designed solely to provide the healthcare professional with information to assist in his/her practice and professional development and is not to be considered a diagnostic tool to replace professional advice or treatment. The course serves as a general guide to the healthcare professional, and therefore, cannot be considered as giving legal, nursing, medical, or other professional advice in specific cases. AKH Inc. specifically disclaims responsibility for any adverse consequences resulting directly or indirectly from information in the course, for undetected error, or through participants misunderstanding of the content. If you would like to opt out from future communications from AKH please send an email to optout@akhcme.com with your information with “Opt Out” in the subject line.