Only Available for Members of the Texas Orthopaedic Association, Texas Association of Neurological Surgeons and Texas Society of Eye Physicians and Surgeons
This CME is only available to members of the following organizations whose dues are current for 2026:
- Texas Orthopaedic Association
- Texas Association of Neurological Surgeons
- Texas Society of Eye Physicians and Surgeons
Please do not complete the exercise if your dues are not current; the Texas Orthopaedic Association will not award CME.
Upon completion, the Texas Orthopaedic Association will e-mail a certificate several weeks following the event. Feel free to email Bobby Hillert for a reminder or update.
Texas Requires Two Hours of Opioid Prescribing CME
The 2019 Texas Legislature passed three bills that require physicians to complete at least two hours of CME in opioid prescribing. For full details, visit the Texas Medical Board’s CME resource page.
Pain Management and the Prescription of Opioids
At least 2 of the 24 formal (CME) hours must involve the study of the following topics:
- Best practices, alternative treatment options and multi-modal approaches to pain management that may include physical therapy, psychotherapy and other treatments
- Safe and effective pain management related to the prescription of opioids and other controlled substances, including education regarding:
- Standards of care
- Identification of drug-seeking behavior in patients
- Effectively communicating with patients regarding the prescription of an opioid or other controlled substances and prescribing and monitoring of controlled substances
These formal hours may be credited toward the requirements for medical ethics or professional responsibility for any physician, or the 10 hours of pain management continuing education required for physicians practicing in pain clinics.
Accreditation & Credit Designation
Accreditation Statement
The Texas Orthopaedic Association is accredited by the Texas Medical Association to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
CME Designation Statement
The Texas Orthopaedic Association designates this enduring material for a maximum of 2.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
Pain Management and Prescription of Opioids Statement
This course has been designated by the Texas Orthopaedic Association for 2.0 credits of education in pain management and prescription of opioids.
Enduring Material
Learning Objectives & Course Outline
Learning Objectives
- Determine when to utilize the Prescription Monitoring Program.
- Identify the various side effects of opioid use.
- Identify non-opioid treatments for acute and chronic pain.
- Summarize the literature surrounding outcomes of patients on opioids prior to surgical treatments.
- Demonstrate how to communicate with patients about appropriate and inappropriate opioid use.
- Determine how to identify which patients should not receive opioids or need a higher level of care.
Course Outline
- What are opioids?
- How do opioids work?
- What problems can opioids cause?
- How do opioids impact the cost of care provided by physicians?
- What are best practices and legal requirements for writing opioids?
- What is the state’s Prescription Monitoring Program and how does it work?
- How does a physician identify patients who should not receive opioids or who need a higher level of care?
- What should physicians do if they get in over their head with writing for opioids for their patients?
Speaker & Planner Disclosures
Speaker Disclosure
Planner Disclosures
TOA mandates all instructors, planners and other individuals in a position to control or influence the content of an educational activity to disclose all relevant financial relationships or affiliations during the past 24 months with any commercial interest. All identified conflicts of interest must be resolved and the education content vetted by the TOA for fair balance, scientific objectivity and appropriateness.
Sources for Continued Study
- Centers for Disease Control. “Pocket Guide: Tapering Opioids for Chronic Pain.” Available on the CDC website.
- Davenport, S et al. “Costs and Comorbidities of Opioid Use Disorder: The Impact of Opioid Use Disorder for Patients with Chronic Medical Conditions.” Milliman White Paper, 2019.
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2019, May). “Pain Management Best Practices Inter-Agency Task Force Report: Updates, Gaps, Inconsistencies, and Recommendations.” Available on the HHS website.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration (2016, August). “FDA Warns About Serious Risks and Death When Combining Opioid Pain or Cough Medicines with Benzodiazepines; Requires Its Strongest Warning.” Available on the FDA website.
- Washington State Agency Medical Directors’ Group. “Interagency Guideline on Prescribing Opioids for Pain,” 2015. Available as a PDF from the Washington AMDG.
- American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons’ Pain Relief Toolkit.
Watch the Videos
After watching both videos below, fill out the evaluation for credit.
Trouble with the player? Watch Part 1 on YouTube.
Trouble with the player? Watch Part 2 on YouTube.
Claim Your Credit & Evaluation
CME credit is available to dues-paying members (MDs and DOs) of the Texas Orthopaedic Association, Texas Association of Neurological Surgeons and Texas Society of Eye Physicians and Surgeons. Your dues must be current. TOA is not able to award the CME to other individuals.
Complete the Course EvaluationFollowing submission, TOA will e-mail a CME certificate to you several days after submission.
Questions? Contact Bobby Hillert at Bobby@toa.org.
Eligible Organizations
Texas Orthopaedic Association
Texas Association of Neurological Surgeons
Texas Society of Eye Physicians and Surgeons