Valerie Gruss
Associate Professor
College of Nursing
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About
Areas of Expertise
- Geriatrics
Research Currently in Progress
Opioid Prescription Tool to address Optimal Utilization of Treatment (OPT-OUT) program
Category: Community-based Health Promotion
Source of Funding: HRSA Grant U1QHP28730, award 2U1QHP28730-04-00 2019-2024
Opioid awareness for older adults.
Based on existing evidence, a key problem is that older adults are not aware of the risks of their opioid medications and there is an urgent need for safe opioid use education and training to enhance discussions with health care providers thereby improving safe opioid medication utilization. Opioid overdose and misuse education has been shown to be most effective when provided in the outpatient setting.24 Our Opioid Prescription Tool to address Optimal Utilization of Treatment (OPT-OUT) program focuses on training community pharmacy staff to implement the opioid awareness education program among high risk community dwelling older adults.