Foundation Program Sites

Pain and Opioid Prescribing

Read our Guidelines 

(Adopted January 2019)

Read the Summary

How chronic pain is treated varies between systems and providers. Collaborative or team-based care often better helps people manage their chronic pain. However, most approaches to pain management including chronic opioid therapy involved siloed health care providers. This workgroup met from January 2018 to January 2019 and focused on a biopsychosocial model within primary care for patients with chronic pain with life activity impacts.

Previous Meeting Materials

Date Agenda
January 12 Agenda January 12
Chronic Pain Workgroup Charter and Roster
Slides Collaborative Care from L&I Conference
Bree Collaborative Process
February 9 Agenda February 9
Minutes January 12
Draft Collaborative Care for Chronic Pain Recommendations
Slides Collaborative Care from L&I Conference
March 9 Agenda March 9
Minutes February 9
Collaborative Care Matrix
Draft Chronic Pain Recommendations
April 13 Agenda April 13
Meeting Minutes March 9
Draft Collaborative Care for Chronic Pain Recommendations
Supported Self-Management Toolkit
May 11 Agenda May 11
Minutes April 13
Draft Collaborative Care for Chronic Pain Recommendations
June 15 Agenda June 15
Minutes May 11
Draft Recommendations Collaborative Care
July 13 Agenda July 13
Minutes June 15
Draft Recommendations Collaborative Care for Chronic Pain
August 10 Agenda August 10
Minutes July 13
Draft Recommendations Collaborative Care for Chronic Pain
September 14 Agenda September 14
Minutes August 10
Draft Collaborative Care for Chronic Pain Recommendations
November 2 Agenda November 2
Minutes September 14
Draft Recommendations Chronic Pain
Non-Medical Pain Experiences
Non Medical Pain Management

Supporting Materials

Letter from the Health Care Authority Accepting the Collaborative Care for Chronic Pain Recommendations
Collaborative Care for Chronic Pain Workgroup Charter and Roster

.Workgroup Members

Name Title Organization
Leah Hole-Marshall, JD (chair) Counsel and Chief Strategist Washington Health Benefit Exchange
Ross Bethel, MD Physician Selah Family Medicine
LuAnn Chen, MD, MHA, FAAFP Medical Director Community Health Plan of Washington
Lynn DeBar, PhD, MPH Senior Investigator Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute
Stuart Freed MD Chief Medical Officer Confluence Health
Andrew Friedman, MD Physiatrist Virginia Mason Medical Center
Mark Murphy, MD President Washington Society of Addiction Medicine
Mary Kay O’Neill, MD, MBA Partner Mercer
Jim Rivard, PT, DPT, MOMT, OCS, FAAOMPT President MTI Physical Therapy
Kari A. Stephens, PhD Assistant Professor – Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences University of Washington Medicine
Mark Sullivan, MD, PhD Professor, psychiatry; Adjunct professor, anesthesiology and pain medicine University of Washington Medicine
Nancy Tietje Patient Advocate
Emily Transue, MD, MHA Associate Medical Director Washington State Health Care Authority
Michael Von Korff, ScD Senior Investigator Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute

Read our Guidelines

(Adopted November 2013)

Read the Revised Spine SCOAP Recommendation

(Adopted March 2013)

Low back pain is a major concern for many of us. In September 2011, we formed a workgroup to develop recommendations for preventing the transition of acute pain to chronic pain and disability and also recommended that all hospitals participate in the Spine Surgical Care and Outcomes Assessment Program (SCOAP) to improve surgical outcomes for chronic low back pain patients. SCOAP is a provider-led program of the Foundation for Health Care Quality that collects data on select surgical procedures for quality improvement.

Supporting Materials

Letter from Health Care Authority Accepting TKR/THR Bundle, Warranty, and Spine Report
Public Comments Summary: Spine/Low Back Pain Report and Recommendations
Original Spine SCOAP Recommendation to HCA (Adopted January 2013)
Workgroup Charter
Letter from Health Care Authority Accepting Spine SCOAP and Cardiology Recommendations

Workgroup Members

Member Title Organization
Dan Brzusek, DO Physiatrist Northwest Rehab Association
Neil Chasan Physical Therapist Sport Reaction Center
Andrew Friedman, MD Physiatrist Virginia Mason
Leah Hole-Curry, JD Medical Administrator WA State Labor & Industries
Heather Kroll, MD Rehab Physician Rehab Institute of Washington
Chong Lee, MD Spine Surgeon Group Health Cooperative
Mary Kay O’Neill, MD, MBA (Chair) Executive Medical Director Regence Blue Shield
John Robinson, MD, SM Chief Medical Officer First Choice Health
Michael Von Korff, ScD Psychologist & Researcher Group Health Research Institute
Kelly Weaver, MD Physiatrist The Everett Clinic

Read our Guidelines

(Adopted May 2020)

These guidelines build on the Washington State Agency Medical Directors Group (AMDG) comprehensive Guideline on Prescribing Opioids for Pain (June 2015) and focus on helping manage those who have been on long-term opioid therapy. This workgroup met from through 2019 and 2020.

Previous Meeting Materials

Date Materials
April 29 Agenda April 29
Minutes February 26
Minutes April 29
Draft Recommendations
Public Comments
Public Comments Summary
February 26 Agenda
Minutes January 29
Draft Recommendations
January 29, 2020 Agenda January 29
Minutes December 11
Draft Recommendations
December 11 Agenda December 11
Minutes November 13
Draft Recommendations
November 13 Agenda November 13
Minutes September 16
Draft Guidelines
October 16 Agenda October 16
Minutes September 25
Chronic Opioid Therapy Assessment Draft
September 25 Agenda September 25
Minutes August 28
Draft Chronic Opioid Management Patient Engagement
 August 28 Agenda August 28
Minutes June 26
Draft Opioid Recommendations
June 26 Agenda June 26
Minutes May 22
Draft Chronic Opioid Management Recommendations
May 22 Agenda May 22
Minutes April 24
Murphy: Guidance on opioid tapering
Berna: Tapering long-term opioid therapy
Opioid Prescribing: Chronic Opioid Therapy Draft
April 24 Agenda April 24
Minutes March 27
Weighing Risks Benefits Chronic Opioid Therapy Lembke
FDA Safety Announcement
March 27 Agenda March 27
Minutes February 27
February 27 Agenda February 27
Minutes December 5
Tapering Guidance Tools
Presentation: Oregon Tapering Update
December 5 Agenda December 5
Minutes October 10
Presentation slides
October 10 Agenda October 10
Minutes June 27
AMDG Tapering Guidance

Supporting Materials

Letter from the Health Care Authority Accepting the Postoperative Prescribing Guidelines
Letter from the HCA Accepting Dental Prescribing Guidelines
Letter from Health Care Authority Accepting Opioid Prescribing Metrics
Opioid Guideline Implementation Charter
Agency Medical Directors Group Interagency Guideline on Prescribing Opioids for Pain
AMDG Guideline Summary

Workgroup Members

Name Title Organization
Gary Franklin, MD, MPH (Co-Chair) Medical Director Washington State Department of Labor and Industries
Charissa Fotinos, MD (Co-Chair) Deputy Chief Medical Officer Washington State Health Care Authority
Andrew Saxon, MD (Co-Chair) Director, Center of Excellence in Substance Abuse Treatment and Education (CESATE) VA Puget Sound Health Care System
Rose Bigham and Cyndi Hoenhous (Co-Chairs) Patient Advocates Washington Patients in Intractable Pain
Pamela Stitzlein Davies, MS, ARNP, FAANP Nurse Practitioner Departments of Neurology & Nursing, University of Washington
Andrew Friedman, MD Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Virginia Mason Medical Center
Kelly Golob, DC Chiropractor Tumwater Chiropractic Center
Dan Kent, MD Chief Medical Officer UnitedHealthcare
Kathy Lofy, MD Chief Science Officer Washington State Department of Health
Jaymie Mai, PharmD Pharmacy Manager Washington State Department of Labor and Industries
Mark Murphy, MD Addiction Medicine and Pain Management MultiCare Health System
Anne Blake-Nickels Patient Advocate
Gregory Rudolph, MD Addiction Medicine Swedish Pain Services
Jennifer Davies-Sandler Patient Advocate
Mark Stephens President Change Management Consulting
Mark Sullivan, MD, PhD Psychiatrist University of Washington
David Tauben, MD Chief of Pain Medicine University of Washington Medical Center
Gregory Terman MD, PhD Professor Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine and the Graduate Program in Neurobiology and Behavior, University of Washington
John Vassall, MD, FACP Physician Executive for Quality and Safety Comagine Health
Michael Von Korff, ScD Senior Investigator Kaiser Permanente Washington Research Institute
Mia Wise, DO Medical Director, Collaborative Healthcare Solutions Premera Blue Cross

Opioid Prescribing: Postoperative Pain Workgroup Members

Name Title Organization
Chris Baumgartner Director Prescription Monitoring Program Washington State Department of Health
Gary Franklin, MD, MPH (Chair) Medical Director Washington State Department of Labor and Industries
Charissa Fontinos, MD Deputy Chief Medical Officer Washington State Health Care Authority
Deb Gordon, DNP, RN, FAAN Teaching Associate, Co-director, Pain Service, Anesthesiology & Pain Medicine Harborview Medical Center
Frances Gough, MD Chief Medical Officer Molina Healthcare
Dan Kent, MD Chief Medical Officer UnitedHealthcare
Kathy Lofy, MD Chief Science Officer Washington State Department of Health
Jaymie Mai, PharmD Pharmacy Manager Washington State Department of Labor and Industries
Shirley Reitz, PharmD ‎Clinical Pharmacist Client Manager OmedaRx, Cambia
Gregory Rudolph, MD Addiction Medicine Swedish Pain Services
Mark Stephens President Change Management Consulting
David Tauben, MD Chief of Pain Medicine University of Washington Medical Center
Gregory Terman MD, PhD Professor Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine and the Graduate Program in Neurobiology and Behavior, University of Washington
Michael Von Korff, ScD Senior Investigator Kaiser Permanente Washington Research Institute
Mia Wise, DO Medical Director, Collaborative Healthcare Solutions Premera Blue Cross

Opioid Guideline: Metrics Workgroup Members

Name Title Organization
Chris Baumgartner Director Prescription Monitoring Program Washington State Department of Health
David Buchholz, MD Medical Director Premera Blue Cross
Gary Franklin, MD, MPH (Chair) Medical Director Washington State Department of Labor and Industries
Charissa Fontinos, MD Deputy Chief Medical Officer Washington State Health Care Authority
Deb Fulton-Kehoe, PhD, MPH Epidemiologist University of

Washington

Frances Gough, MD Chief Medical Officer Molina Healthcare
Dan Kent, MD Chief Medical Officer UnitedHealthcare
Kathy Lofy, MD Chief Science Officer Washington State Department of Health
Jaymie Mai, PharmD Pharmacy Manager Washington State Department of Labor and Industries
Mark Murphy, MD Family Medicine and Addiction Medicine MultiCare
Shirley Reitz, PharmD ‎Clinical Pharmacist Client Manager OmedaRx, Cambia
Gregory Rudolph, MD Addiction Medicine Swedish Pain Services
Mark Stephens President Change Management Consulting
David Tauben, MD Chief of Pain Medicine University of Washington Medical Center
Gregory Terman MD, PhD Professor Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine and the Graduate Program in Neurobiology and Behavior, University of Washington
Michael Von Korff, ScD Senior Investigator Kaiser Permanente Washington Research Institute

Read our Guidelines

(Adopted July 2018)

Read the Summary

These guidelines build on the Washington State Agency Medical Directors Group (AMDG) comprehensive Guideline on Prescribing Opioids for Pain (June 2015) and focus on guidance for opioid prescribing after surgery. This workgroup met through 2017 and 2018.

Supporting Materials

Letter from the Health Care Authority Accepting the Postoperative Prescribing Guidelines
Letter from the HCA Accepting Dental Prescribing Guidelines
Letter from Health Care Authority Accepting Opioid Prescribing Metrics
Opioid Guideline Implementation Charter
Agency Medical Directors Group Interagency Guideline on Prescribing Opioids for Pain
AMDG Guideline Summary

Opioid Prescribing: Postoperative Pain Workgroup Members

Name Title Organization
Chris Baumgartner Director Prescription Monitoring Program Washington State Department of Health
Gary Franklin, MD, MPH (Chair) Medical Director Washington State Department of Labor and Industries
Charissa Fontinos, MD Deputy Chief Medical Officer Washington State Health Care Authority
Deb Gordon, DNP, RN, FAAN Teaching Associate, Co-director, Pain Service, Anesthesiology & Pain Medicine Harborview Medical Center
Frances Gough, MD Chief Medical Officer Molina Healthcare
Dan Kent, MD Chief Medical Officer UnitedHealthcare
Kathy Lofy, MD Chief Science Officer Washington State Department of Health
Jaymie Mai, PharmD Pharmacy Manager Washington State Department of Labor and Industries
Shirley Reitz, PharmD ‎Clinical Pharmacist Client Manager OmedaRx, Cambia
Gregory Rudolph, MD Addiction Medicine Swedish Pain Services
Mark Stephens President Change Management Consulting
David Tauben, MD Chief of Pain Medicine University of Washington Medical Center
Gregory Terman MD, PhD Professor Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine and the Graduate Program in Neurobiology and Behavior, University of Washington
Michael Von Korff, ScD Senior Investigator Kaiser Permanente Washington Research Institute
Mia Wise, DO Medical Director, Collaborative Healthcare Solutions Premera Blue Cross

Read our Guidelines

(Adopted September 2017)

These guidelines build on the Washington State Agency Medical Directors Group (AMDG) comprehensive Guideline on Prescribing Opioids for Pain (June 2015) and focus on opioid prescriptions after dental procedures. This workgroup met through 2017.

Workgroup Members

Name Title Organization
Chris Baumgartner Director Prescription Monitoring Program Washington State Department of Health
David Buchholz, MD Medical Director Premera Blue Cross
Rolf Christensen, DDS Dental Urgent Care Clinic Director University of Washington School of Dentistry
Tom Dodson, DMD, MPH Professor & Chair, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery University of Washington School of Dentistry
Gary Franklin, MD, MPH (Chair) Medical Director Washington State Department of Labor and Industries
Charissa Fontinos, MD Deputy Chief Medical Officer Washington State Health Care Authority
Bea Gandara, DDS Professor University of Washington School of Dentistry
Frances Gough, MD Chief Medical Officer Molina Healthcare
Dan Kent, MD Chief Medical Officer UnitedHealthcare
Kathy Lofy, MD Chief Science Officer Washington State Department of Health
Jaymie Mai, PharmD Pharmacy Manager Washington State Department of Labor and Industries
Theresa Madden, DDS, MS, PhD Fellow International College of Dentists
Ron Marsh, DDS Member Washington State Dental

Quality Assurance Commission

Mellani McAleenan, JD Director of Government Relations Washington State Dental Association
Shirley Reitz, PharmD ‎Clinical Pharmacist Client Manager OmedaRx, Cambia
Gregory Rudolph, MD Addiction Medicine Swedish Pain Services
Mark Stephens President Change Management Consulting
David Tauben, MD Chief of Pain Medicine University of Washington Medical Center
Gregory Terman MD, PhD Professor Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine and the Graduate Program in Neurobiology and Behavior, University of Washington
Michael Von Korff, ScD Senior Investigator

Read our Opioid Prescribing Metrics

(Adopted July 2017)

These guidelines build on the Washington State Agency Medical Directors Group (AMDG) comprehensive Guideline on Prescribing Opioids for Pain (June 2015) and set a state standard for measuring opioid prescriptions. This workgroup met through 2016 and into 2017.

Workgroup Members

Name Title Organization
Chris Baumgartner Director Prescription Monitoring Program Washington State Department of Health
David Buchholz, MD Medical Director Premera Blue Cross
Gary Franklin, MD, MPH (Chair) Medical Director Washington State Department of Labor and Industries
Charissa Fontinos, MD Deputy Chief Medical Officer Washington State Health Care Authority
Deb Fulton-Kehoe, PhD, MPH Epidemiologist University of

Washington

Frances Gough, MD Chief Medical Officer Molina Healthcare
Dan Kent, MD Chief Medical Officer UnitedHealthcare
Kathy Lofy, MD Chief Science Officer Washington State Department of Health
Jaymie Mai, PharmD Pharmacy Manager Washington State Department of Labor and Industries
Mark Murphy, MD Family Medicine and Addiction Medicine MultiCare
Shirley Reitz, PharmD ‎Clinical Pharmacist Client Manager OmedaRx, Cambia
Gregory Rudolph, MD Addiction Medicine Swedish Pain Services
Mark Stephens President Change Management Consulting
David Tauben, MD Chief of Pain Medicine University of Washington Medical Center
Gregory Terman MD, PhD Professor Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine and the Graduate Program in Neurobiology and Behavior, University of Washington
Michael Von Korff, ScD Senior Investigator Kaiser Permanente Washington Research Institute