Optimizing Treatment of Patients on Methadone Maintenance Treatment (MMT) - Starting in January 2008

Dispensing methadone in your pharmacy or considering it? Interested in learning how to better manage your practice and enhance your role? DIRC introduces eight, one-hour educational sessions with techniques and skills that you can implement immediately. Additionally, consulting forums are planned to allow you to pose questions to the experts, and share best practices surrounding methadone dispensing. Sessions will be case-based using real world experiences. Whether you have completed the mandatory methadone training or not, these complementary sessions will enhance your skills and knowledge and support your practice.

Customize your learning. Offered live over the internet, you can participate from your home, pharmacy or office. Pick the dates that are convenient for you and choose as many sessions as you like. Participants will require the use of a computer equipped with high-speed internet access and a phone line. Slides will be presented online with the phone being used for audio commentary by the faculty and interaction with the participants.

Sponsored by the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, the sessions are provided free of charge. Only 50 spots are available per session, so don't hesitate to pick the sessions that best fit you!

Schedule of Presentations and Consulting Forums:  

	Presentation 1 Faraneh Akhtari/ Mary Nelson 7pm to 8pm	Presentation 2 Dr. Tripp & Faraneh Akhtari/ Mary Nelson 7pm to 8pm	Presentation 3 Dr. Bordman 7pm to 8pm	Presentation 4 Dr. Wasser & Dr. Bordman 7pm to 8pm	Consulting Forums 7pm to 8pm
January	•Tues, Jan 8 (F. Akhtari)          or •Thurs, Jan 24 (M. Nelson)	•Thurs, Jan 10 (F. Akhtari)          or •Thurs, Jan 17 (F. Akhtari)	•Wed, Jan 16          or •Tues, Jan 22		•Tues, Jan 15 (Dr. Tripp & F. Akhtari)
February	•Tues, Feb19 (M. Nelson)	•Thurs, Feb 21 (M. Nelson)		•Tues, Feb 5          or •Tues, Feb 12	•Tues, Feb 26 (M. Nelson)
March		•Tues, Mar 11          or •Wed, Mar 12	•Thurs, Mar 13          or •Tues, Mar 25	•Thurs, Mar 20          or •Thurs, Mar 27	•Tues, Mar 4 (M. Nelson)

Sessions:

Presentation 1 - Application of MMT Guidelines to Seemingly Complex Clinical Situations
Presenter: Mary Nelson, RPh, BScPhm OR Faraneh Akhtari, RPh, BScPhm
. Discuss the importance of legislative guidelines regarding methadone dispensing
. Assess seemingly complex cases related to methadone dispensing and apply the legislative guidelines
. Bullet-proof the dispensing of methadone (including the development of a 3-way prescriber, pharmacist, and patient contract)

Presentation 2 - Dealing with Difficult Situations Involving Patients on MMT Using Communication Techniques
Presenters: Dean A. Tripp, PhD AND Mary Nelson, RPh, BScPhm OR Faraneh Akhtari, RPh, BScPhm
. Identify the biopsychosocial elements that may make patients on MMT complex, leading to difficult situations that present to the pharmacist
. Predict patients on MMT who may be prone to causing the development of difficult situations
. Review and apply specific communication techniques for dealing with difficult situations involving these patients

Presentation 3 - Addiction Management: Optimizing MMT in Special Populations
Presenters: Dr. Joel Bordman, MD, CISAM, DAAPM, DCAPM
. Distinguish between addiction, dependence and tolerance
. Evaluate treatment options for addiction
. Discuss methadone's role in addiction

Presentation 4 - Methadone in Chronic Pain Management
Presenter: Dr. Edward Wasser, BA, MD, DAAPM AND Dr. Joel Bordman, MD, CISAM, DAAPM, DCAPM
. Discuss the pathophysiology of pain
. Evaluate treatment options for pain
. Discuss methadone's role in pain

Contact:
Ontario Pharmacists'Association
Contact: Janice Tang
Tel: 416-441-0788 ext. 2225
jtang@dirc.ca
www.dirc.ca/methadone.asp