How to evaluate patients for opioid therapy

Following a standard process for determining whether a patient is a good candidate for opioid therapy is a key component of a patient-centered approach to treating patients with chronic pain. The process should include obtaining medical records from any previous doctors, a report from the state’s prescription drug monitoring program, and a urine drug screen. The patient should also review and sign a controlled substance agreement and a document describing the practice’s opioid medication policies.

Once you have collected and reviewed these items and completed your clinical evaluation, you should be well prepared to make a confident prescribing decision.

Adapted from “How to Monitor Opioid Use for Your Patients With Chronic Pain” and related tools.