5 Strategies to Keep Patients Safe When Receiving Opioids

by Michael Wong

by Michael Wong, JD (Executive Director, Physician-Patient Alliance for Health & Safety)

The Physician-Patient Alliance for Health & Safety (PPAHS) had the pleasure of interviewing Thomas W. Frederickson, MD, FACP, SFHM, MBA – lead author of the Society of Hospital Medicine RADEO guide (“Reducing Adverse Drug Events Related to Opioids”).  The guide is a comprehensive clinician manual created with the aim to decrease opioid-related adverse events in an inpatient setting.

In the first of this two-part interview, Dr. Frederickson discusses five key steps to identify and address patient conditions that pose a greater risk of respiratory depression.  For readers that have yet to listen to the podcast, please click here; it’s an insightful interview relevant for any clinician working in quality improvement or directly with patients prescribed opioids.

In part two, interviewer Pat Iyer and Dr. Frederickson switches gears and focuses on monitoring issues associated with caring for at-risk patients.  You can watch/listen to the interview below: Continue reading “5 Strategies to Keep Patients Safe When Receiving Opioids” →

5 Key Steps to Assessing and Identifying At-Risk Patients for Respiratory Compromise

by Michael Wong

by Michael Wong, JD (Executive Director, Physician-Patient Alliance for Health & Safety)

The cost of opioid-related adverse events, in terms of both human life and hospital expenses, remains at the forefront of the public eye. It has been estimated that yearly costs in the United States associated with opioid-related post-operative respiratory failure were estimated at $2 billion.

The Society of Hospital Medicine, which is the largest organization representing hospitalists and a resource for hospital medicine, recently released a comprehensive guide, “Reducing Adverse Drug Events Related to Opioids” (otherwise known as the RADEO guide).

To better understand the RADEO guide, the Physician-Patient Alliance for Health & Safety interviewed its lead author – and member of RCI’s advisory commitee – Thomas W. Frederickson MD, FACP, SFHM, MBA.  Continue reading “5 Key Steps to Assessing and Identifying At-Risk Patients for Respiratory Compromise” →