Society of Pain and Palliative Care Pharmacists White Paper on the Role of Opioid Stewardship Pharmacists

Abstract

Opioid stewardship is one essential function of pain and palliative care pharmacists and a critical need in the United States. In recent years, this country has been plagued by two public health emergencies: an opioid crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic, which has exacerbated the opioid epidemic through its economic and psychosocial toll. To develop an opioid stewardship program, a systematic approach is needed. This will be detailed in part here by the Opioid Stewardship Taskforce of the Society of Pain and Palliative Care Pharmacists (SPPCP), focusing on the role of the pharmacist. Many pain and palliative care pharmacists have made significant contributions to the development and daily operation of such programs while also completing other competing clinical tasks, including direct patient care. To ensure dedicated time and attention to critical opioid stewardship efforts, SPPCP recommends and endorses opioid stewardship models employing a full time, opioid stewardship pharmacist in both the inpatient and outpatient setting. Early research suggests that opioid stewardship pharmacists are pivotal to improving opioid metrics and pain care outcomes. However, further research and development in this area of practice is needed and encouraged.

Keywords:

• Opioid stewardship
• pharmacists
• pain stewardship
• opioids
• pain
• palliative care

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest. This article is the sole work of the authors; stated opinions or assertions do not reflect the opinions of employers or employee affiliates listed. The article was not prepared as part of any authors’ duties as federal employees. The contents do not represent the views of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs or the United States Government.

Funding

The authors received no financial support nor did they receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.