Opioid Task Force

The University of Mississippi Medical Center established an Opioid Task Force in 2018 to take a global look at institution-wide efforts on issues related to opioid prescribing and pain management. Its goal is to give providers the tools to take an even-handed approach to opioid prescribing, but at the same time deliver individualized care for every patient.

Mission

• To work collaboratively as a multidisciplinary team to highlight current resources that can be shared across the institution and make recommendations for those areas that need improvement or development.
• To educate our providers and learners about the new opioid prescribing guidelines and regulation changes by the MSBML
• To encourage individualized patient-centered care with balanced and responsible opioid prescribing.

About the task force

The 37-member panel was established by Dr. LouAnn Woodward, vice chancellor for health affairs and dean of the School of Medicine. Task force members are giving guidance to both providers and learners through timely information and clarity on an issue that in 2017 saw more than 3.3 million opioid prescriptions dispensed in Mississippi.

The work of the task force is ongoing, but initial recommendations and actions have been crafted by four subcommittees: Guidelines, chaired by Dr. Molly Clark, associate professor of family medicine; Resources and Services, Dr. Jeff Parker, professor of psychiatry; and Research, Dr. James Rowlett, professor of psychiatry.

Much of its work goes hand-in-hand with recommendations on opioid prescribing and monitoring issued by the Mississippi State Board of Medical Licensure.

UMMC faculty and staff can find additional information on the Opioid Task Force's intranet site.