Clinical Track:State Initiatives Impacting

Physicians and PatientsPresenters:

• Michael Baier, Overdose Prevention Director, MD Department of Health & Mental Hygiene, Behavioral Health Administration

• Clare Desrosiers, MSW, Executive Director, ME Diversion Alert

• Denzil Hawkinberry II, MD, Physician, Community Care of WV

• Kathy Paxton, MS, Director, WV State Substance Abuse Services

Moderator: Van Ingram, Executive Director, Office of Drug Control Policy, Commonwealth of KY

Disclosures

Michael Baier; Clare Desrosiers, MSW; Denzil Hawkinberry, MD; Kathy Paxton, MS; and Van Ingram have disclosed no relevant, real or apparent personal or professional financial relationships with proprietary entities that produce health care goods and services.

Disclosures

• All planners/managers hereby state that they or their spouse/life partner do not have any financial relationships or relationships to products or devices with any commercial interest related to the content of this activity of any amount during the past 12 months.

• The following planners/managers have the following to disclose:– Kelly Clark – Employment: Publicis Touchpoint Solutions;

Consultant: Grunenthal US– Robert DuPont – Employment: Bensinger, DuPont &

Associates-Prescription Drug Research Center– Carla Saunders – Speaker’s bureau: Abbott Nutrition

Learning Objectives

1. Outline an emergency preparedness plan to mitigate unintentional impacts on a community due to disciplinary action against prescribers.

2. Inform clinicians of resources for responding to patients charged with drug-related crimes.

3. Describe an approach proving successful in engaging and educating physicians in behavioral health.

Maryland’s Controlled Dangerous Substance (CDS) Emergency

Preparedness Plan

Michael BaierOverdose Prevention Director

Maryland Department of Health and Mental HygieneBehavioral Health Administration

Michael Baier has disclosed no relevant, real or apparent personal or professional financial relationships with proprietary entities that produce health care goods and services

Background

2011:

• Wicomico County, Maryland’s Eastern Shore

• Mostly rural, medically-underserved region

• Large pain management practice run by anesthesiologist, interventional & Rx

• Legitimacy of physician’s CDS prescribing practices questioned for years by local officials & providers

• Law enforcement investigations underway

The Trigger

• Medicaid MCO review finds standard of care violations related to CDS Rx in all 14 cases

• MCO refers records to state health dept. (DHMH)

• DHMH Chief Medical Officer reviews records & reaches same findings

• First time ever: DHMH Secretary summarily suspends physician’s state CDS permit based on assessment of imminent public health threat from continued practice

The Aftermath

• Est. up to 2000 patients, many receiving CDS Rx (primarily opioids)

• Office closes & provides no medical record access• Patients face stigma in community and can’t find new

providers for months or years• Local health dept., hospital ED & community providers

overwhelmed• Local police link string of pharmacy robberies to former

patients• Pharmacies stop stocking opioids; primary care opioid

Rx is chilled• At least one patient suicide

Who are the Patients?

• No PDMP or other comprehensive data source easily available to DHMH existed in 2011.

• MCO auditor: “His patient population reviewed was a combination of addicts, doctor shoppers and patients where opiates were unwarranted.”

• Local police & health authorities: mostly addicted patients, many young, some likely diverting, also smaller number of older pain patients referred to phys. for legitimate reasons

Who are the Patients? Ctd.

From a Health Care Alternative Dispute Resolution Office claim:

“I had two herniated and three bulging/slipped discs in my lumbar spine, as well as bi-lateral carpel tunnel syndrome and bi-lateral sciatica. Since I was referred to Dr. X, he increased my dosage of oxycodone (originally prescribed by my primary care physician) from 5 mg twice per day to 15 mg 3 times per day. When I asked Dr. X what the effects of taking such a strong dose would have on me, he informed me not to worry, that only ‘1 in 1000 patients prescribed narcotic pain relievers ever actually become addicted’… I had become addicted to narcotic pain relievers… due to Dr. X’s malpractice… all other doctors refused to treat and care for me… I had lost two good jobs, spent thousands of dollars, leaving my family impoverished, and I left attending Narcotics Anonymous and Worcester County Addictions Center Intensive Outpatient Group sessions three days a week for three hours a day.”

Who are the Patients? Ctd.Local news op-ed: “I have four bone spurs in my neck, fibromyalgia, RSD, two bone-to-bone knees, four bulging herniated discs in my lower back, and sciatica that goes down my right leg to my foot. I'm in so much pain, I have to see a psychiatrist and go to therapy.” “He gave me his full attention. Unlike other pain management doctors I've seen, he spends a lot of time with each patient. Other pain management doctors could take lessons from him. Neither of the doctors I was forced to go to cared about me, my pain and suffering or spent any time with me.”

Comments on online article about incident:“It is criminal what these agency's have done to Dr. X’s patients. Consider his case load of over 2000 patients. Maybe some of those were drug-seeking addicts, but surely not most. What happens to these people who are in severe, chronic pain? We are not able to get our medical records because nobody answers the phone, or comes to the door. You have to have your records before another doctor will see you, and even then, the earliest appointment I could find is mid-July. Patients were not told of the doctor's suspension, so many discovered it only when the tried to fill a dated prescription. No meds, no medical records, no alternate doctor. Lots of pain. Lots. Thanks, Priority Partners, DHMH, and Maryland Board of Physicians. In stopping a Doctor from prescribing for a few bad patients, you have effectively kicked the rest of us to the curb with no help at all. I thought your jobs were to HELP citizens get access to healthcare???”

Who “Owns” this Problem?

State Medical Board: Can order phys. to turn over records & assist patients but what happens if no compliance? Slow to act and highly bureaucratic

State Health Dept: No existing infrastructure or resources to support patients despite use of CDS regulatory authority

Insurance Carriers: Many Medicaid patients, few accepting providers in medically underserved area

Local Health Dept: Tried to coordinate with local providers but very limited resources; limited space in SUD Tx programs, including single regional OTP

Hospitals: No chronic condition mgmt. from ED

Community Providers: Worried about taking on complicated, potentially disruptive patients and being next target of regulatory/enforcement action

Lessons Learned

#1 Problem practices can grow over years in plain sight of locals, but regulatory/enforcement action is slow to identify and address. Need for state-level process to identify and intervene with potential problems before crisis develops.

#2 Need for plan with resources to be deployed when abrupt, large scale cessation of CDS prescribing occurs in an underserved community

#1: CDS Integration Unit

• DHMH “fusion center” for info on investigations related to CDS Rx & dispensing

• Includes licensing boards, Medicaid, PDMP, CDS registration authority, medical examiner, inspector general, behavioral health, AG’s office, etc.

• Member agencies identify CDS-related data sources, “red flags” and pool information for analysis

• May make recommendations to Secretary for further investigation, complaint with licensing board, action against CDS permit, etc.

• Possibility of “intermediate sanctions” tied to CDS permit, including education, mentoring, monitoring, etc.

#2: CDS Emergency Preparedness Plan

• GOAL IS: temporarily deploy resources at local level to mitigate impact on public health/safety and healthcare system.

• GOAL IS NOT: replace normal care coordination or patient referral processes or remove responsibility of practitioner, insurers, local health dept., etc.

• 2013 MOU b/t DHMH Behavioral Health Admin & Univ. of Maryland, School of Pharmacy (UMSOP) to develop plan

• UMSOP team: clinical pharmacists & RN w/ expertise in pain mgmt. & palliative care

Year 1: Plan Development

• Survey other states on model programs

• Conduct practitioner focus groups to aid plan development

• Assemble network of practitioners educated on process and figure our how to create “rapid response team” to assess patients, provide appropriate short term Tx/Rx and smooth referrals to community providers

• Develop educational/clinical support tools for RRT and other providers for use during event

• Identify responsibilities of players, including UMSOP, DHMH, LHDs, etc.

• Plan for disseminating info to local stakeholders and coordinating players

Survey of Medical and Pharmacy Boards

• High response rates

• Many reported experiencing abrupt cessation of prescribing due to disciplinary action

• Few report any formal or informal plan for response

• Little evidence of plans that include dedicated resources to assist patients during event

Focus Groups

3 separate groups for pain management & behavioral health experts, primary care providers and pharmacists

Goals:

• Identify implementation barriers

• Develop clinical criteria for patient triage

• Identify documentation necessary to support patient referrals

• Develop cost estimate for purchasing practitioner time

• Provide ongoing feedback on plan development & implementation

Notable Focus Group Guidance

• Timely access to medical records is essential: Need for patient & pharmacy record-keeping to facilitate referral (med list,

H&P, labs, imaging, consults, etc.) PDMP and health info exchange access Investigate legal authorities to compel disclosure

• UMSOP team should assist patients with compiling all available records during event

• Compile current lists of relevant providers by specialty area (pain, BH, primary care, etc.)

• Could regulators create a prescriber “safe harbor” in catchment area to reduce fear?

Clinical Support Tools(Still Under Development)

• Criteria for initial triage screening: low risk (referral to PCP), unknown risk, high risk (likely SUD & other comorbidities, referral to LHD behavioral health division)

• Take into account medical condition, CDS types/combos, SA/LA opioids, therapy duration, dosage frequency & escalation, adult/pediatric, has PCP?

Year 1: Obstacles

1. Complications of planning for abrupt cessation of ANY high volume CDS Rx (incl. benzos, bupe), not just OA for pain mgmt.

2. Inability to identify means to establish RRT:

– Practitioners need liability protection; only state employees/contractors covered by tort claims act

– State can’t quickly bring on practitioners as employees/contractors

– UM system depts. unwilling to have practitioners provide Txservices; outside of employment scope

– Contract with temp services investigated but not practical

3. NEAR CONSTANT NEED TO RESPOND TO LICENSE SUSPENSIONS

Ad Hoc Responses to Date

• Temp suspension of another E. Shore pain mgmt. physician; agreed to work w/ UMSOP on triage

• West. MD bupe prescriber dropping patients in anticipation of Board sanction

• Temp suspension of radiologist who began “pill mill” Rx before retirement

• Temp suspension of So. MD internist/pediatrician, high volume benzo/stimulant Rx

• License surrender of elderly med. dir. of outpatient MH clinic with large benzo/bupe patient caseload

Key Components of “Plan” in Action

Initial Steps

• Licensing board notification (via CDSIU) of BHA of imminent sanction (weeks notice possible)

• BHA gathers intel & notifies UMSOP team & LHDs where patients reside (can’t ID practitioner until order is public)

• In consult w/ licensing board, BHA attempts to contact practitioner (or attorney) to explain project and solicit cooperation

Alerting Local Providers

UMSOP customizes template notifications for local providers about situation with patient instructions, work w/ LHD to distribute to:

Local hospitals/ED

Urgent care centers

Pharmacies

Other community practices

Local law enforcement & EMS

If Practitioner Cooperates…

• UMSOP project coordinator works w/ office staff to ID high priority patients & document clinical info

• UMSOP works with “network” providers & LHD to identify appropriate referral pathways and conduct follow-up

• Notifications instruct patients to call practitioners office, who works w/ UMSOP project coordinator.

If Practitioner DOES NOT Cooperate…

• Notifications instruct patients to call LHD main line or special hotline, LHD POC works w/ UMSOP project coordinator.

• Harder to know whether high-risk patients are being identified and directed appropriately

• Requires constant monitoring/contact with community providers, hospitals, pharmacies, etc. to detect at-risk patients

Special Considerations

• “Bridge” providers don’t want to est. long-term patient/provider relationship; what about patient abandonment?

• Bupe patients covered by 42 CFR Part 2; practice needs consent before disclosure of records => refer patients to LHD BH division for SUD assessment, possibly OTP

• Serious dangers from benzo withdraw => refer to local Core Service Agency; what is hospital role?

• How can PDMP, HIE be used more effectively to support rapid response?

Next Steps: Year 2-3

• Finalize Plan, including P&P manual, clinical support tools, notification templates, stakeholder roles, etc.

• Continue building network of trained/educated providers willing to support rapid response

• Develop & implement plan for provider education (academic detailing?) on Plan & “overdose prevention” topics, including:

Use of PDMP & HIE SBIRTBuprenorphineNaloxone Safe/effective CDS Rx education

Project Personnel

Univ. of Maryland, School of Pharmacy

Co-PIs: Kathryn Walker, PharmD, BCPS, CPEMary Lynn McPherson, PharmD, BCPS, CPE

Project Coordinator:Micke Brown, RN

DHMH Behavioral Health AdministrationKathleen Rebbert-Franklin, LCSW-C, Dep. Dir. ofPopulation-Based Behavioral HealthMichael Baier, Overdose Prevention DirectorBrian Holler, MPH, MOU monitor

Michael Baier

Overdose Prevention Director

Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene

Behavioral Health Administration

michael.baier@maryland.gov

410-402-8643

State Initiatives Impacting Physicians and Patients

Maine’s Diversion Alert Program

Disclosure Statement

Clare Desrosiers, MSW, has disclosed no relevant, real or apparent personal or

professional financial relationships with proprietary entities that produce health care

goods and services.

Learning Objective:

Inform clinicians of resources for responding to patients charged with drug-related crimes.

PMP

What is Diversion Alert?

Rx abuse in Maine

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

200

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

Overdose deaths caused by substances

Pharmaceutical Illicit All

Source: Office of the Chief Medical Examiner – Published in 2014 Maine State Epidemiological Profile

Rx abuse in Maine 2

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

Drug deaths by drug type: ME ’00-’12

Methadone Oxycodone Benzodiazepines Heroin

*Some deaths were caused by more than one key drug.

Source: Office of the Chief Medical Examiner – Published in 2014 Maine State Epidemiological Profile

So, why is the problem so big in Maine?

Rate of kilograms of opioid pain relievers sold in 2010 per 10,000 people

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Division of Unintentional Injury Prevention 2011.

Source of painkiller abused 2008-2011

27%

26%

23%

15%

9%

High risk non-medical opioid users

Own prescription fromprescriber

Free from friend/relative

Bought fromfriend/relative

Bought from drug dealer

Other

Source: Jones et al (2014)

What is the Diversion Alert Program?

Monthly emailed/mailed alerts to health care providers showing individuals arrested for illegal drug related crimes;

Online, password protected drug arrest database; and

Educational resources to assist in responding to patients charged with illegal drug related crimes.

Who can register to access Diversion Alert data?

Pharmacists

Licensed Maine prescribers (e.g. NPs, MDs, DOs, PAs, dentists, podiatrists)

Sub-recipients authorized by licensed prescribers or pharmacists (e.g. medical office managers, social service providers)

Law enforcement personnel

Is it legal to distribute arrest information?

Yes.

Under Maine’s Criminal History Record Information Act, a criminal justice agency may disclose to the public criminal history record information related to an offense for which a person is currently within the criminal justice system. This includes recent arrests that are actively being prosecuted [16 M.R.S. §612(3)(A)].

Arrest, summons, conviction

Arrest: gives notice to an individual that he/she is being charged with a crime. Person is detained.

Summons: gives notice to an individual that he/she is being charged with a crime.

Conviction: formal declaration by a court that a person has been found to have committed (is “guilty” of) a crime.

Do not wait for a conviction to respond to a charge

Given the professional and life-threatening risks associated with continuing a controlled substance prescription to someone who is

addicted or diverting, it is safer to consider the person "guilty until proven innocent."

Resources for responding to patients charged with drug crimes:

Tip Sheet 1: Responding to patients charged with prescription or illegal drug related crimes.

Tip Sheet 2: Clinical changes to consider in response to patients charged with prescription or illegal drug related crimes

Tip Sheet 3: Effective alternatives to treat medical conditions for which controlled substances are commonly prescribed

Tips for Pharmacists

2013-14 Program Evaluation

Quasi-experimental pre/post study with comparison groups in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont

Independent evaluator:

ASTOS Evaluation

State# completed pre-surveys

# completed post-surveys

ME862 202

NH 580 385

VT 369 195

Total 1811 782

How DA information is used:

Outcome: Awareness of patients arrested for drug crime

Outcome: Increased communication with other providers

I communicate with health care providers who share a patient’s treatment with me.

Rating scale 1=never, 2=sometimes, 3=A lot, 4=All the time

Pre-test mean/SD Post-test mean/SD P*

New Hampshire 3.01/.76 3.05/.8 .000*

Vermont 3.03/.35 3.04/.8 .001*

Maine 2.68/.6 3.04/.7 .000*

I communicate with pharmacists who fill prescriptions for my patients.Rating scale 1=never, 2=sometimes, 3=A lot, 4=All the time

Pre-test mean/SD Post-test mean/SD P*

New Hampshire 2.42/.78 2.53/.04 .000*

Vermont 3.03/.8 2.66/.8 .000*

Maine 2.62/.77 2.75/.76 .000*

Outcome: Increased attentiveness to prescribing

Other outcomes: Compared to VT & NH, ME providers…

Did not discharge patients but continued to provide health care

Used preventive practices more – PMP

– Narcotic agreements (contracts)

– Stopped prescribing controlled substances to ptarrested for drug crime

– Changed prescription for pt arrested for drug crime

Diversion Alert in other states

No other program known in the US

Our goal is to expand to other states

Data References:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Policy Impact: Prescription Painkiller Overdoses. Atlanta, GA: US Department of Health and Human Services; 2011.

Jones, CM, Paulozzi, LJ, Mack, KA. (2014). Sources of Prescription Opioid Pain Relievers by Frequency of Past-Year Nonmedical Use United States, 2008-2011. JAMA Intern Med. 174(5):802-803.

Maine Office of Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services. Substance Abuse Trends in Maine: State Epidemiological Profile 2014. South Portland, ME: Hornby Zeller Associates, Inc.; 2013.

Clare Desrosiers, Executive Director

clare@diversionalert.org

207-521-2408

www.diversionalert.org

Contact information

“State Initiatives Impacting Physicians and Patients”

Engaging Physicians In Behavioral Health

Disclosure Statement

• Denzil Hawkinberry, MD, has disclosed no relevant, real or apparent personal or professional financial relationships with proprietary entities that produce health care goods and services.

• Kathy Paxton, MS, has disclosed no relevant, real or apparent personal or professional financial relationships with proprietary entities that produce health care goods and services.

Barriers to Engagement

The Expectations:

Gatekeeper, Educator And Treatment Provider

The Barriers:

• Lack Of Education & Practical Experience

• General Lack Of Wanting To Confront Their Patients

• Inability To Obtain Good Referral Resources

WV Responds

• Top Down/ Bottom Up Approach

• Legislation (SB437)

– Required CME

– Checking PDMP

– Regulation of Pain Clinics

– Regulation of Opioid Treatment Centers

• Improvements to PDMP System

– Increased Interoperability (9 States)

– Additional Fields & Reports

WV Responds

• Comprehensive Physician Education– Conferences & Summits (Appalachian, Family Practice,

Perinatal)

– Face to Face Learning Sessions (Hospital/University Based)

– Champions that Mentor (Sullivan, Hall, Hawkinberry, Maxwell, Chaffin)

– Community Coalitions (Physician Engagement Training)

• Integration of Behavioral Health into Primary Care– Community Health Specialist Pilot

– HRSA/SAMHSA Awards

Results

Practicing Physicians Trained

Residents Trained

Patient Education & Physician Oversight

Pain Clinics Closed

Increase in queries

Decrease in dispensing

Decrease in prescription drug use past 3 years

Next Steps

• Curriculum Inclusion

• Combination Physician Rotations

• Increase in Mentoring Programs

Clinical Track:State Initiatives Impacting

Physicians and PatientsPresenters:

• Michael Baier, Overdose Prevention Director, MD Department of Health & Mental Hygiene, Behavioral Health Administration

• Clare Desrosiers, MSW, Executive Director, ME Diversion Alert

• Denzil Hawkinberry II, MD, Physician, Community Care of WV

• Kathy Paxton, MS, Director, WV State Substance Abuse Services

Moderator: Van Ingram, Executive Director, Office of Drug Control Policy, Commonwealth of KY