AHRQ releases opioid management toolkit for primary care providers

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality has released an online toolkit to help primary care practices improve care for patients taking opioids for chronic pain. Called Six Building Blocks, the toolkit offers a structured team-based approach to improvement in six areas: leadership and consensus; policies, patient agreements and workflows; tracking and monitoring patient care; planned, patient-centered visits; caring for complex patients; and measuring success. Most patients taking opioids for chronic pain are managed by primary care providers and their staff.