Take the Pledge!

Safe Prescriber Pledge

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, more than 75% of people who go on to develop a substance use disorder start with medication prescribed to them by their primary care provider. By making the community aware of the risks of prescribing opioid pain medications and engaging practitioners to follow safe pain medication prescribing guidelines, it will reduce the reliance on opioid medication that is the root cause of so much addiction.

Staten Island Performing Provider System is calling together primary care doctors, nurse practitioners, pain management specialists, pharmacists and other prescribers on Staten Island to Take the Safe Prescriber Pledge! Medical professionals who take the Safe Prescriber Pledge will be supporting the battle against the opioid overdose epidemic. Safe prescribing guidelines, as defined by the CDC, limit the use of potentially addictive medications in their practices.

 

The 9 elements of the Safe Prescribing Pledge are:

Safe opioid prescribing: a community-based approach

1. Utilize the Opioid Risk Tool (ORT) to screen all patients before prescribing controlled substances

2. Use the NYS Prescription Monitoring Program (I Stop) before writing any prescription for opiates, benzodiazepines, Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) medications

3. Follow Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines for initial and chronic medication dosing

4. Obtain patient agreement on the risks and benefits of opioids to patients who would be receiving acute and chronic opioid prescriptions

5. Maintain an office policy and procedure* on safe and effective management of prescribing Controlled Substances (CS).

6. Prescribe Narcan for all patients on chronic opiates and MAT and:

                   a. Demonstrate how to use Narcan

                   b. Share information about Narcan

                   c. Distribute Narcan educational materials

7. Offer patients on chronic opiates, benzodiazepines and MAT information on “Tamper Resistant” caps, bottles or other medication container

8. Complete a three-hour CME course in Pain Management, Palliative Care and Addiction every 3 years

9. Promote safe return of unused controlled medications 

By filling out the form below, you are pledging to implement the 9 elements of the Safe Prescriber Pledge into your practice.

Take the Safe Prescriber Pledge

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