Risk Management Checklists: Opioid Management

MLMIC publishes Risk Management Checklists to assist insured physicians and facilities with policies and protocols in critical areas, including opioid management. These checklists focus on specific risk management issues – managing patients with chronic pain and managing drug seeking patients – that policyholders are likely to encounter in the healthcare setting.

We encourage you to review these risk management checklists for opioid management on a regular basis to promote patient safety and reduce potential liability exposure:

Managing Patients with Chronic Pain

The management of chronic pain through the prescription of controlled medication poses challenges and risks to both the patient and the healthcare provider. Common allegations against providers in pain management claims include:

• liability for failure to adequately treat pain;
• liability for allegedly inappropriately prescribing controlled substances;
• potential for civil charges being brought against a physician or other provider for the patient’s diversion of narcotics and/or drug abuse or overdose; and
• liability for failing to recognize a patient’s addiction and/or diversion and to refer the patient for treatment.

View or download the checklist here: Managing Patients with Chronic Pain.

Managing Drug Seeking Patients

Healthcare professionals share in the responsibility for minimizing prescription drug abuse and drug diversion. Physicians are tasked with differentiating patients in need of effective pain management from those who may be seeking drugs for inappropriate reasons.

View or download the checklist here: Managing Drug Seeking Patients.

MLMIC’s Risk Management Consultants are available to assist insured physicians and facilities in their ongoing efforts to identify and address areas of concern related to opioid management. For guidance regarding a specific situation, please contact MLMIC’s Risk Management Department at (800) 275-6564.

In addition, policyholders can stay up to date on the latest risk management guidance and alerts by monitoring the MLMIC Insider, The Scope: Medical Edition, Healthcare Weekly and other MLMIC communications.