On July 2, 2018, the Rhode Island Department of Health made regulatory changes to the Rules and Regulations for Pain Management, Opioid Use, and the Registration of Distributors of Controlled Substances in Rhode Island [216-RICR-20-20-4. These regulations require prescribers to:

This course offers information about the prescription drug abuse crisis, alternatives to opioids for managing and treating pain, best practices for prescribing controlled substances, and drug diversion and safeguards to prevent diversion.

1. Have a conversation with patients about the risks and benefits of taking an opioid prescription;
2. Indicate the diagnosis code(s) on a patient’s opioid prescription; and
3. Co-prescribe naloxone to patients who are at a higher risk for opioid overdose. (RI Department of Health, 2018)

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