Grant from the Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation to the Indiana State Medical Association will help grow the number of medical providers accessing opioid education

April 6, 2018

Grant from the Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation to the Indiana State Medical Association will help grow the number of medical providers accessing opioid education

Educating doctors about best practices for prescribing pain medication has been proven to curb prescription drug misuse, yet time and cost constraints keep many physicians from accessing such training. To ensure clinicians receive this education and to help curb Indiana’s opioid epidemic, state medical leaders are launching a comprehensive medical education program focused on best practices for prescribing opioids and treating patients who suffer from pain.

The Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation has awarded $230,000 to fund the program, which the Indiana State Medical Association (ISMA) will launch later this year as the first of its kind in the state. ISMA will offer the opioid-prescribing courses to Indiana’s thousands of doctors, nurse practitioners, physician assistants and registered nurses, using content developed with partners such as the Indiana Hospital Association, specialty societies and health systems. The material will be based on best practices and customized for different medical specialties.

The innovative program received local, regional and national media coverage via:

The Indianapolis Star: “New app will help Indiana doctors fight opioid abuse”
WFYI: “New Program Provides Opioid Education For Doctors”
The Indianapolis Business Journal: “Indiana group to create app to teach doctors about opioids”
Inside INdiana Business: “Grant Supports Opioid Prescription Education Program”
FOX59: “App in development to help Indiana doctors fight opioid crisis”
CBS4: “App in development to help doctors fight opioid crisis”
WRTV6: “Indiana group to create app to teach doctors how to curb the state’s opioid epidemic”
U.S. News & World Report: “Indiana Group to Create App to Teach Doctors About Opioids”
Health Informatics: “Indiana Medical Leaders Launch Tech-Based Opioid Prescribing Education for Clinicians”

ISMA’s mobile app will break down barriers to access and will ensure doctors receive the most current information. It is among the first technology-based education programs focused exclusively on opioid prescribing for physicians and other providers in Indiana.