Resources for helping patients with challenging chronic pain problems

Washington is experiencing an opioid crisis. To help address this crisis, UW Medicine and the Washington State Health Care Authority have partnered to offer two services to assist community-practice providers with managing patients with challenging chronic pain problems. These two free services include:

• The UW Medicine Pain and Opioid Consult Hotline for Clinicians for “just in time” advice. It’s available for the clinician in the exam room, or in the office just prior to seeing a patient with complex chronic pain problems, especially involving opioid management. Pain pharmacists and physicians are available to offer advice on guideline adherence, drug-drug interactions and risks, approach to dose taper, and, when needed, suggested referral resources for more help.

Number: 1-844-520-PAIN (7246)
Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday

• UW TelePain for in-depth multidisciplinary “educational” consultation. The weekly audio/video-based conferences offer case presentations from community clinicians and interactive consultations for providers with a multi-disciplinary panel of specialists. Cases are usually scheduled for discussion within days or for the following week. Learn more about the sessions at http://depts.washington.edu/anesth/care/pain/telepain/