Educating Together, Improving Together

The opioid epidemic in the United States is a serious, multifaceted problem. Using education and training to respond more effectively requires a clearer picture of where what health professionals and care teams do in practice falls short of what the evidence supports. These shortfalls, called professional practice gaps (PPGs), need to be identified and closed in pain management, opioid use disorder, and other substance use disorder care. Closing them also means building evidence-based best practices into health professions curricula at every stage, from undergraduate study through post-graduate continuing education.

This Special Publication reports on two information-gathering efforts. The first is a comprehensive review of the literature on persisting PPGs in pain management and substance use disorder care. The second surveys the regulatory landscape that shapes health professions education. Together, the findings point to the need for a harmonized, interprofessional approach to education across the health professions, one that centers on patients and their families.

The Health Professional Education and Training Workgroup, part of the National Academy of Medicine's Action Collaborative on Countering the U.S. Opioid Epidemic, sets out five action-oriented priorities. The publication says that with sustained effort and support, these steps could strengthen effective practices and create a more consistent environment in which health care professionals can better serve their patients and communities.