Clinical practice guidelines are used in health care as an educational tool to improve patient care as a potential solution to reduce inappropriate variations in care. Opioid prescribing guidelines provide clear and comprehensive, evidence-based recommendations incorporating current information and practices for practitioners. This activity will examine the scope, impact, key statistics and factors contributing to the opioid crisis and highlight the current recommended opioid prescribing guidelines, their challenges and the role of state prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMP). Strategies to aid in implementing the opioid prescribing guidelines and to mitigate the opioid crisis will also be discussed.

The successful management of obesity—a complex, chronic and relapsing disease—through sustainable weight loss interventions can greatly improve individuals’ overall health status and diminish the severity of concomitant diseases such as diabetes. This activity will provide an overview of obesity and diabetes that describes effective multi-interventional approaches to weight loss and, importantly, highlights the role of incorporated lifestyle changes in promoting the likelihood of weight loss success and improved health outcomes. The conversational style of this activity will encourage discussion around obesity-care planning and examine the factors that must be considered due to the chronic and relapsing characteristics of this disease.

This activity will highlight the prevalence of UI; provide effective communication and shared decision-making techniques; and discuss how to assess, treat and provide follow-up care for UI including available resources to support care and management.

Activity description Quality of pain management at the end of life may vary in sociodemographic groups that are often underrepresented.