Chronic pain management gets most of our attention these days. And justifiably so. But what about acute pain? In this follow up session to the one held in May, we will explore specific differences between acute pain and chronic pain and the challenges and risks that are seen in the care and management of acute pain in patients with opioid use disorder. Clinicians have an obligation to provide appropriate and adequate pain relief. It sounds so simple but can be quite difficult. Come ready to equip yourself with tools & strategies to address acute pain with your patients in a kindly and medically sound fashion.

Objectives:

1. Know the basic differences between acute pain and chronic pain management
2. Identify key elements in determining appropriate acute pain and post-op pain management
3. Explore challenges and opportunities in treating acute pain in chronic pain patients

Craig Uthe, MD is a board-certified family physician with the American Board of Family Medicine and a member of the American Society of Addiction Medicine. He is the Medical Director of Professional Well-Being at Sanford Health and the Chief Well-Being Officer for the University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine.

For over twenty-five years, Dr. Uthe has been a medical advisor to the SD Health Professionals Assistance Program, an organization that provides management services to health care professionals with potentially impairing illnesses & addictions.