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Patients who have become opioid dependent do not advertise their condition.
While some patients hide their dependence out of fear, others may not even know they are dependent. For example, patients you have treated for pain, who continue to need opioid analgesics despite the fact that their pain has resolved, may have progressed to opioid dependence.
One thing is true for all of these patients—they need your professional help now.
By identifying opioid dependence, you can offer your patients an opportunity to seek appropriate medical treatment.
But how do you know?
Use the following tools to identify and confirm opioid dependence from a combination of factors, including objective physical or behavioral signs of dependence, as well as interviewing and screening patients. Each step details how you can provide your patients with the help they need.
A Matter of Trust
Because the patients in your practice know you and already have a relationship with you, they may be responsive to questions about their opioid use.
