The American Society of Anesthesiologists made several recommendations to Congress on how to best combat opioid abuse.
Here's what you should know.
1. The ASA recommended increasing funding for opioid-related research, providing coverage for non-opioid alternatives — like including interventional therapies for chronic pain — and it urged Congress to support educational initiatives aimed at improving pain management practices in perioperative settings.
2. ASA President James Grant, MD, said, "We’re committed to combating the ongoing crisis by reducing patients' reliance on opioids and supporting evidence-based treatment options to address our patients' health care needs in a safe and effective manner."
3. The ASA believes the recommendations must be implemented to combat the opioid crisis.
4. The organization stressed the importance of aligning coverage and payment policies with critical services that support pain treatment therapies. "Proper clinical guidelines with appropriate payment incentives are key to promoting desired behavior from healthcare providers," ASA said.