Better Prescribing, Better Treatment Podcast
The WSMA Better Prescribing, Better Treatment Podcast is for physicians,
physician assistants, and health professionals, and supports the goals of
the
Better Prescribing, Better Treatment safe-prescribing program. Creation of the WSMA Better Prescribing, Better Treatment Podcast is
made possible through funding from the federal Bureau of Justice
Assistance and the Washington State Department of Health.
About the Podcast
The WSMA Better Prescribing, Better Treatment Podcast addresses the gaps
in practice that exist between the current state of prescribing and the
best practices surrounding opioid and controlled substance prescriptions.
The risks of both short- and long-term administration of opioids in
combination with and separately from sedative medications impose risks
that cross specialties and systems.
Over the course of the series, you’ll hear from leaders on an
array of topics about how we reduce the dependence on opioids for pain
management where appropriate, help those suffering with chronic conditions
safely, and help those with addiction.
A sole production of the WSMA, the podcast supports the goals of the
Better Prescribing, Better Treatment safe-prescribing program, a joint initiative of the WSMA and the Washington State Hospital
Association that aims to reduce the burden of opioid overdose in the
individual’s practice and surrounding communities.
The podcast is available to all physicians and health
professionals either as audio or audio and video. Episodes will be posted
approximately every two weeks through the summer months.
Subscribe to WSMA Podcasts
Apple Podcasts
| Spotify
About the Host
Each podcast episode is hosted by
Nathan Schlicher, MD, JD, FACEP, the physician lead
for the Better Prescribing, Better Treatment safe-prescribing program.
Podcast Objectives
-
Increase safe opioid prescribing practices in line with House Bill 1427.
-
Have strategies to tailor opioid management services to prescribers
specialty and organization using evidence-based practices on appropriate
prescribing and data-driven practices.
- Help reduce the development of tolerance to opioids.
-
Address long-term pain management and appropriately treat opioid
addiction.
These activities are approved for AMA PRA Category 1 CreditTM.
To claim CME credit, learners must watch or listen to the podcast(s)
and submit the evaluation for each episode. For each podcast episode,
MOC credit has been approved for one or more of the following boards:
-
American Board of Internal Medicine’s Maintenance of Certification
program.
-
American Board of Anesthesiology’s redesigned Maintenance of
Certification in Anesthesiology™ program, known as MOCA 2.0®. Please
consult the ABA website,
theABA.org, for a list of all
MOCA 2.0 requirements.
-
Part-II self-assessment credit in the American Board of
Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery’s Continuing Certification
program (formerly known as MOC).
- American Board of Pathology’s MOC program.
- American Board of Pediatrics’ MOC program.
-
CME requirement of the American Board of Surgery’s Continuous
Certification program.
To claim MOC credit for an episode, learners must watch or listen to
the podcast, then earn 100% on the quiz.
Episode 1: The Future of the Better Prescribing, Better Treatment Program
at WSMA
In this episode, Dr. Schlicher is joined by WSMA Program Manager Monica
Salgaonkar, MHA, CPHQ, and WSMA Director of IT Troy Brown to discuss the
new areas of development in the Better Prescribing, Better Treatment
program at the WSMA.
Go to the episode
Episode 2: The History of Opioid Prescribing Legislation
In this episode, Dr. Schlicher sits down with WSMA Policy Director Jeb
Shepard to discuss the history of opioid prescribing in the state, the
origins of Better Prescribing, Better Treatment, and its overall impact on
prescribing.
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Episode 3: Prescribing Opioids in a Rural Setting
In this episode, Dr. Schlicher talks with Barry Bacon, MD, a family
medicine physician in Colville, about chronic prescribing, co-prescribing,
and treatment in the rural environment.
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Episode 4: Opioids in Obstetrics
In this episode, Dr. Schlicher talks with Nariman Heshmati, MD, MHA,
FACOG, senior regional medical director at Optum Washington and WSMA
president-elect.
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Episode 5: Opioids in Pediatrics
In this episode, Dr. Schlicher talks with Daniel Low, MD, an
anesthesiologist at Seattle Children’s Hospital and the chief medical
officer for Adaptx, an AI-driven clinical management solution that
empowers clinical leaders to improve and manage care across patients by
leveraging their own real-world EMR data.
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Episode 6: Opioids in Hospice
In this episode, Dr. Schlicher talks with Tom Schaaf, MD, chief medical
officer of Providence Home and Community Care and past president of the
WSMA.
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Episode 7: Opioids in Family Medicine
In this episode, Dr. Schlicher talks with Katina Rue, DO, FAAFP, FACOFP,
WSMA's 2022-2023 president and program director for Trios Health Family
Medicine Residency; and Audriana Mooth, DO, a second-year family medicine
resident in East Pierce County.
Go to the episode
Episode 8: Opioids in Cancer-Related Pain
Dr. Schlicher talks with Camille Puronen, MD, a hematologist/oncologist at
Kaiser Permanente Washington and a member of the WSMA board of trustees,
and Ran Huo, MD, a palliative care physician at Kaiser Permanente. They
discuss the close connection between oncology and palliative care when
caring for patients with oncology pain.
Go to the episode
Episode 9: Opioids and the Bridge Program
Dr. Schlicher talks with Liz Wolkin, MS, RN, NPD-BC, CEN, program
administrator of the Washington State Health Care Authority’s Emergency
Department Support, Clinical Quality and Care Transformation program,
about the new state bridge program.
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Episode 10: Opioids and Health Equity
Dr. Schlicher talks with Rae Wright, MD, an addiction medicine physician
in Vancouver, Washington. Dr. Wright will delve into what equity in health
care looks like, and how addiction and opioid use disorder interface with
equity issues (e.g., pain management, the justice system, and access to
care).
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Episode 11: Opioids in Emergency Medicine
Dr. Schlicher talks with Áine Yore, MD, an emergency medicine physician in
Everett, and Stephen Anderson, MD, an emergency medicine physician in
Auburn.
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Episode 12: Opioids in General Surgery
Dr. Schlicher talks with John Lam, MD, a trauma surgeon in Tacoma.
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Episode 13: Opioids at the Health System and Community Health Level
Dr. Schlicher talks with Scott Kennedy, MD, chief medical officer of
Olympic Medical Center, and Katrina Weller, MD, chief medical officer of
North Olympic Healthcare Network, on the use of BPBT data to drive
improvements and how they work together as CMOs and the community to do
so.
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Episode 14: Opioids and Risk Management
Dr. Schlicher talks with Rabia Ahmad, JD, an attorney at Helsell
Fetterman, LLP. Ahmad focuses her practice in the areas of health care law
and medical malpractice, specifically defending physicians and hospitals
against medical malpractice lawsuits and in professional licensing
proceedings.
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Episode 15: Opioids and Nurse Practitioners
Dr. Schlicher talks with Mary Ellen Biggerstaff, DNP, FNP, MPH, about opioid prescribing as a nurse practitioner. Mary Ellen serves as the nurse practitioner lead for the BPBT program.
Go to the episode
Episode 16: Opioids in Dentistry
Dr. Schlicher talks with Rolf Christensen, DDS, about opioid
prescribing in dentistry and how physicians and dentists can work
together.
Go to the episode
Episode 17: Opioids and Physician Assistants
Dr. Schlicher talks with Eileen Ravella, PA-C, a physician assistant
at Kaiser Permanente Washington, about opioid prescribing as a
physician assistant, and how physicians and physician assistants can work
together toward better prescribing.
Go to the episode
Episode 18: Buprenorphine Guidelines and Fentanyl
Dr. Schlicher talks with Callan Fockele, MD, a board-certified internal
medicine physician specializing in emergency medicine, about the
benefits of prescribing buprenorphine and the challenges of treating opioid use disorder due to fentanyl. Dr. Fockele strives to center harm reduction in the
treatment of patients experiencing mental health and substance use
disorders.
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Episode 19: Telemedicine and Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder
Dr. Schlicher talks with Jessica Schlicher, MD, MBA, chief medical officer for virtual care and digital health at Providence, about the benefits of
prescribing buprenorphine via telehealth and what Washington state is
doing around virtual care and treatment of opioid use disorder.
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Episode 20: Schools and Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder
Dr. Schlicher talks with Becky Maffei, school counselor at Peninsula
School District in Gig Harbor. Becky provides an overview of current
school-based efforts in education, prevention, and treatment of opioid use disorder,
as well as outlining strategies to support youth, collaborate with
families, and strengthen community partnerships for effective OUD
intervention.
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Episode 21 - Regulation and Legislative Update
Dr. Schlicher talks with WSMA's Sean Graham and Jeb Shepard about the state’s approach to addressing the opioid epidemic,
settlements underway, and what to look for in the 2025 legislative
session.
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Episode 22: First Responders and the Opioid Crisis
Dr. Schlicher talks with Mike Dumas, division chief of EMS for Gig Harbor
Fire and Medic One. They discuss the role of first responders in the opioid
epidemic, and what can be done to improve access to OUD treatment.
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Episode 23: OUD Treatment in Tribal Clinics
Dr. Schlicher talks with Zoe Taylor, MD, MBA, a family medicine physician and director of operations and informatics at Lummi Tribal
Health Center, about the impact of the opioid crisis on American
Indian/Alaska Native communities, strategies employed by the
Lummi Nation to address opioid use disorder, and strategies
for promoting engagement and enhancing OUD treatment across all
communities, with an emphasis on supporting American Indian/Alaska Native populations.
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Episode 24: Benzodiazepines and Sedative Safe Prescribing Guidelines
Dr. Schlicher sits down with Joshua Jones, MD, general and forensic
psychologist at Providence St. Joseph Health, discusses the importance of
benzodiazepines and sedative prescribing, and how to safely prescribe.
Go to the episode