title: Pharmacist's role in dispensing opioids for acute and chronic pain.
abstract: Pain continues to be a serious health care concern in the United States. Patients with chronic pain experience the impact of the disease throughout their lives including their social interactions, family relationships, and in many cases economic productivity. Multiple surveys have found that many pharmacists hold misconceptions regarding opioids, pain disease states, and their understandings of current regulations. Multiple barriers affect the ability of pharmacists to deliver care to patients' prescribed opioid therapy. Inadequate communication between health care professionals and patients is one of the hurdles, which prevents quality care. Increased communication between health care providers including access to health information is one step, which is crucial to improving provision of pharmacotherapy. Finally, the quality of educational opportunities relative to opioids and pain management specifically for pharmacists needs to be increased, and consideration needs to be given for making appropriate pain management education mandatory.
authors.affiliation: Pharmacy Practice Department, Auburn University, Harrison School of Pharmacy, AL 36688, USA. marlokf@auburn.edu
authors.forename: Karen F
authors.initials: KF
authors.lastname: Marlowe
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Geiler
mesh_terms: D059787:Acute Pain / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D059350:Chronic Pain / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004512:Education, Pharmacy / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D059408:Pain Management / Q000941:ethics / Q000592:standards; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000639:trends; D010595:Pharmacists / Q000941:ethics; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D024382:Professional Role; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid