Cambridge, MA (PRWEB) December 26, 2013 -- The Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) announced today that it will host an hour-long webinar panel on Thursday, January 16, 2014 at 1pm ET (12pm CT, 11am MT, and 10am PT) to share lessons on how states can control the misuse and abuse of opioids.
“As policymakers and other stakeholders look for ways to further control opioid misuse and abuse, WCRI is happy to provide this webinar panel that will provide lessons for states on this very important issue,” said Dr. Richard Victor, WCRI’s executive director.
The first panelist, WCRI’s Dr. Vennela Thumula, will share findings from WCRI’s study, Impact of Banning Physician Dispensing of Opioids in Florida. This study examines changes in the prescribing of opioids to newly injured workers before and after the implementation of legislation (House Bill 7095) in Florida, which was effective July 1, 2011.
The second panelist, Dr. Peter Kreiner of Brandeis University, will provide initial findings from a longitudinal, multi-state database of prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP) data. The findings include (1) a comparison of selected measures of patient, prescriber, and dispenser behavior across several states; and (2) effects of the new PDMP in Florida (operational on September 1, 2011) on measures of risky patient, prescriber, and pharmacy behavior.
Questions addressed:
• Did the Florida ban reduce the overall prescribing of opioids to injured workers?
• Does physician dispensing lead to over utilization/unnecessary utilization of opioids?
• How can PDMP data be used for public health surveillance purposes?
• Did the implementation of Florida’s PDMP have an immediate effect on prescribing and dispensing behaviors? Has the effect persisted?
Attendance is limited to 100 people and all attendees receive a free copy of the slides. Webinars are $39 for WCRI Members; $79 for Non-Members; and no charge for members of the press, legislators as well as their staff, and state public officials who make policy decisions impacting their state’s workers’ compensation system.
Click on the following link to register: http://www.wcrinet.org/1.16.14_webinar_reg.html.
The Cambridge-based WCRI is an independent, non-partisan research center that is recognized as a leader in providing high-quality, objective information about public policy issues involving workers' compensation systems.
ABOUT WCRI:
WCRI is an independent, not-for-profit research organization based in Cambridge, MA. Organized in late 1983, WCRI does not take positions on the issues it researches; rather, it provides information obtained through studies and data collection efforts, which conform to recognized scientific methods. Objectivity is further ensured through rigorous, unbiased peer review procedures. WCRI’s diverse membership includes employers; insurers; governmental entities; managed care companies; health care providers; insurance regulators; state labor organizations; and state administrative agencies in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. For more information, visit: http://www.wcrinet.org.
Andrew Kenneally, Workers Compensation Research Institute, +1 (617) 661-9274 Ext: 257, [email protected]
SOURCE Workers Compensation Research Institute
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