Effective July 1, 2014, all prescribers who hold a current DEA license and who prescribe controlled substances are required by the Tennessee Board of Medical Examiners to complete a minimum of two hours of prescribing CME credit. A total of forty (40) CME credits are required for physician re-licensure. All credits must be earned in the two years prior to renewal. This course meets the State's prescribing CME requirement.

1. Approaches to integrating current chronic pain guidelines into daily practice to guide evidence-based care of patients with complaints of chronic pain
2. Strategies to manage patients with complaints of chronic pain by following current clinical practice guidelines (including CPGs issued by the Tennessee Department of Health), recent research findings, and/or appropriate local consensus best practice as appropriate
3. Ongoing evaluation of therapeutic effectiveness and clinical justification of currently prescribed controlled substances therapies and other pharmacologic or non-pharmacologic alternatives to managing patients with complaints of chronic pain
4. Ways to incorporate consistent use of the Tennessee Department of Health Controlled Substance Monitoring Database into clinical decision making prior to prescribing opioids and benzodiazepines to prevent diversion, misuse, abuse, and potentiation of addiction

Vanderbilt University Medical Center is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

Vanderbilt University Medical Center designates this live activity for a maximum 2.75 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

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