Implementing PL c488 in Primary Care

Review and understand the law
1. See “ME Law c488” folder: Fact Sheet – Public Law c.488
Use the PMP
1. Make office staff delegates for each prescriber in the office
2. For assistance and training, contact The Prevention Center
Create a registry of all patients receiving chronic opioids for each prescriber
1. For assistance in generating this list, contact The Prevention Center
2. Refer to the Chronic Pain folder for recommendations as to what parameters to follow on the registry (see “Tools for Monitoring Chronic Opioid Therapy”)
3. Consider using office processes similar to managing other chronic diseases (e.g. diabetes) to ensure parameters are met
Identify patients over 300 MSE/day through your registry
1. Develop a practice-wide plan to address how to manage these patients
  1. Plans should be individualized to each patient
  2. See tools:
    1. In “Chronic Pain” folder: Letter to Patients
    2. In “ME Law c488” folder: Talking Points for PCPs
    3. In “Chronic Pain” folder: Recommendations for Compassionate Tapering of Opioids
    4. In “Chronic Pain” folder: See the Washington State guidelines as well as the CDC guidelines for alternative options for managing chronic pain; consider referrals the Healthy Living Resource Center at MaineGeneral

Kennebec Region Health Alliance