Improving Access to Controlled Substances in Long-Term Care

01/24/11 • 0 min

Guest: Matthew Wayne, MD, CMD
Host: Eric Tangalos, MD

Regulations regarding nurses as prescribing agents of physicians in long-term care facilities are more restrictive than in the hospital setting, because controlled substance licenses are not currently approved for nursing homes in most states. These restrictions can make it challenging for long-term care patients to receive timely access to narcotics. Dr. Matthew Wayne, medical director, geriatric medicine, University Hospital Richmond Medical Center in Richmond Heights, Ohio, and assistant professor of medicine at University Hospitals Case Medical Center in Cleveland, suggests revisions to some provisions of the Controlled Substances Act in order to ensure long-term care patients have access to pain medications when they need them the most. What hurdles are the most significant impediments to improving patient care with appropriate access to narcotics, and how can medical professionals best navigate the waters until revisions are made to the current law? Dr. Eric Tangalos hosts.

Guest: Matthew Wayne, MD, CMD
Host: Eric Tangalos, MD

Previous Episode

Improving Medication Safety in the Nursing Home Setting

Host: Eric Tangalos, MD
Guest: Steven Handler, MD, PhD, CMD

Because residents in long-term care facilities often have comorbidities, polypharmacy can be an issue. What are the most common types of adverse drug events that can occur among long-term care patients taking multiple medications? Dr. Steven Handler, assistant professor in the department of biomedical informatics and the department of geriatric medicine at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, and the medical director for long-term care health information technology for the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, says the current methods for monitoring medications in nursing homes are inadequate for protecting against adverse drug events, and suggests ways to improve medication safety in long-term care. What tools might help practitioners in long-term care better detect and prevent adverse drug events? Dr. Eric Tangalos hosts.

Next Episode

A Public Policy Primer for Long-Term Care Professionals: How to Achieve Regulatory Compliance

Guest: Steven Levenson, MD, CMD
Host: Eric Tangalos, MD

As healthcare reform evolves, so too do the public policies governing long-term care facilities. How can healthcare professionals stay up-to-date with the latest changes in federal and state regulations? What are the differences between regulations governing assisted living versus skilled care environments? How successful have regulations been at facilitating better quality of care in skilled care and assisted living? Dr. Steven Levenson, medical director of six long-term care facilities in Maryland and past-president of AMDA, says that having a "watchful eye" over long-term care facilities is generally useful in promoting quality of care, but laments the fact that there are some inconsistencies in the ways regulations are applied and implemented. How can healthcare providers aim towards regulatory compliance and better patient care, without getting bogged down with seemingly overwhelming details? Dr. Eric Tangalos hosts.