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Better Prescribing, Better Treatment Podcast

Better Prescribing, Better Treatment Podcast

Better Prescribing, Better Treatment Podcast logo

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 17-episode 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 17-episode 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.

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About the Host

Nathan Schlicher, MD, JD, FACEP

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.

CME and MOC Information

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.

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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.

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Episode 8: Opioids in Cancer-Related Pain

Dr. Schlicher chats 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.

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Episode 9: Opioids and the Bridge Program

Dr. Schlicher chats 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 chats 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. Rabia 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 sits down with Mary Ellen Biggerstaff, DNP, FNP, MPH to talk about opioid prescribing as a nurse practitioner. Mary Ellen serves as our nurse practitioner lead for the BPBT program.

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Episode 16: Opioids in Dentistry

Dr. Schlicher sits down with Rolf Christensen, DDS, to talk about opioid prescribing in dentistry and how physicians and dentists can work together.

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Episode 17: Opioids and Physician Assistants

Dr. Schlicher sits down with Eileen Ravella, PA-C, a physician assistant at Kaiser Permanente Washington, to talk about opioid prescribing as a physician assistant, and how physicians and physician assistants can work together toward better prescribing.

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