A toolkit developed in Oregon to raise awareness among pharmacists about the opioid crisis, increase their access to PDMP data, and facilitate safe opioid dispensing
The RESPOND Toolkit, a project of Oregon State University and the Pacific Northwest Evidence-based Practice Center, is an educational resource for pharmacists on the opioid crisis, safe opioid dispensing, and the dispensing of naloxone. It offers an interactive, 3-module online course on the opioid crisis and opioid use disorder (OUD), how to use prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP) data, and how to communicate effectively with patients and prescribers.
Other elements of the toolkit include a downloadable patient screening and communication tool to ensure safe dispensing of opioids, and a pharmacist-prescriber communication checklist with action steps. The project was funded by a grant from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
An evaluation found that the toolkit helped pharmacists increase their use of PDMP data, enhanced their knowledge about the opioid crisis, and increased their confidence in addressing OUD.
An effective and scalable training resource for community pharmacists, with the potential to promote behavioral shifts that support opioid safety among patients.