Drs. Cathy Scrimshaw and Jessica Kirkwood are two physician champions in the landscape of many prescribers who have taken up the challenge to examine barriers and improve patient access to opioid agonist therapies (OAT).
The collective dedication towards empowering family physicians with skills that aid in supporting patients with opioid use disorder (OUD) has been noticed by
the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta (CPSA)
and changes in standards have been implemented to support this change.
Registration and a secure Triplicate Prescription Program (TPP) pad is
no longer required
for practitioners to prescribe buprenorphine/naloxone.
This is a step towards improving access and quality treatment for OUD and pain management within our communities.
For those who have attended one of the
Practical Workshops: Identifying and Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder in Primary Care
or
PEER Opioid Use Disorder Presentations
if comfortable, you can start prescribing buprenorphone/naloxone with
no other courses required!
