News in brief OMT part of W.Va.’s plan to decrease opioid painkiller use OMT is listed as a non-opioid option for treating pain in the state’s new guidelines for prescribing and dispensing opioid painkillers. Aug. 25, 2016Thursday The DO Staff Contact The DO Staff Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email In 2015, West Virginia led the U.S. in drug overdose deaths. Last week, the state’s attorney general announced new best practices for prescribing and dispensing opioid painkillers—and thanks to osteopathic advocacy, the guidelines include a nod to DOs, whose unique training in osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) enables them to provide patients with a nonopioid alternative to treating patients with pain. The osteopathic outreach effort was spearheaded by the AOA, the West Virginia Osteopathic Medical Association and the American College of Osteopathic Neurologists and Psychiatrists. The guidelines advise physicians and other clinicians to “take every possible step to utilize non-opioid options,” including OMT, before prescribing opioids. “Generally, opioids should not be prescribed on the first visit,” the guidelines note. “Finalizing these best practices set West Virginia on course to a brighter tomorrow,” West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey said in a statement. A broad coalition of medical groups, including the West Virginia Osteopathic Medical Association, the American College of Osteopathic Neurologists and Psychiatrists and the AOA, have rallied around the guidelines, Morrisey noted: “Their broad support emboldens my belief that we can slash usage of these addictive painkillers by at least 25% and save many from a life of addiction.” To learn more and view the best practice, visit the Office of the West Virginia Attorney General website. More in Newsbriefs TouroCOM opens new school in Great Falls, Montana The new campus is Touro University’s third college of osteopathic medicine and the first nonprofit medical school in Montana. “Operation Nightingale” fraud scheme alert: Bogus nursing credentials sold to thousands of aspiring nurses It was recently discovered that a scheme, nicknamed “Operation Nightingale,” offered aspiring nurses the opportunity to purchase fake nursing degree diplomas and transcripts. Previous articleBuilding dreams: New COM reflects diversity of surrounding community Next articlePhysicians can challenge Open Payments records until end of year
TouroCOM opens new school in Great Falls, Montana The new campus is Touro University’s third college of osteopathic medicine and the first nonprofit medical school in Montana.
“Operation Nightingale” fraud scheme alert: Bogus nursing credentials sold to thousands of aspiring nurses It was recently discovered that a scheme, nicknamed “Operation Nightingale,” offered aspiring nurses the opportunity to purchase fake nursing degree diplomas and transcripts.