Designed for physicians, this 9-hour course
provides information regarding the use of buprenorphine
for the treatment of opioid addiction, including
legislation regarding office-based opioid-addiction
treatment, pharmacology, safety and effectiveness,
patient assessment and selection, clinical management,
special treatment populations, dosing, urine
testing,
and patient confidentiality. It has been reviewed
and is acceptable for up to 9 prescribed credit
hours by the American Academy of Family Physicians.
It meets the 8-hour training requirement specified
in the Drug Addiction Treatment Act of 2000 for
physicians to qualify for prescribing and dispensing
buprenorphine in their offices for the treatment
of opioid dependence. Users can take individual
modules or the entire 9-hour course.
Designed for addiction counselors, this 3-hour
course provides valuable information about the
use of buprenorphine in office-based treatment
of opioid dependence. This course reviews changes
in the legislation that permits office-based buprenorphine
treatment, including physician and counseling
requirements. It provides a brief review of the
science of addiction, and the ways in which buprenorphine
treatment for opioid dependence is part of that
endeavor. The course reviews information about
opioids and their effects, and the effects, efficacy,
and safety of buprenorphine. The course examines
patient selection issues, including diagnostic
evaluations, and appropriateness and contraindications
for office-based treatment. It reviews a variety
of counseling-related issues, such as patient
confidentiality, recovery and sobriety, pharmacotherapy,
12-Step program issues, readiness for discontinuation
evaluations, and responding to problematic patient
behaviors.
