Update on Opioid Prescriptions and Pain Management
| Date: | August 3, 2021 |
| To: | Health Plan of San Joaquin (HPSJ) All Primary Care Providers |
| From: | Health Plan of San Joaquin |
| Subject: | Update on Opioid Prescriptions and Pain Management |
| Business: | Medi-Cal Managed Care |
Some HPSJ members previously receiving care with LAGS will be seeking new prescribers when they need refills for their pain medication.
Emerging data demonstrate aggressive tapering or abrupt discontinuation of long-term opioid therapy is associated with multiple negative outcomes. Our goal is to prevent harm from withdrawal, undue burden on emergency rooms, and members seeking illicit substances as substitutes for their prescriptions.
There will be members assigned to you who may seek refills and care. If a member cannot be seen right away by a network pain management provider, we request you consider temporarily managing opioid utilization for members assigned to you to prevent harm while awaiting their appointment with a specialist.
Some primary care providers at local FQHCs have agreed to take on opioid prescribing for members who are presently assigned to them. HPSJ has also identified a list of pain specialists below who may be willing to take on opioid prescribing for a limited number of patients for chronic opioid therapy.
- Harmanjeet Dhaliwal, 777 S Ham Ln, Lodi, 209-339-0300
- Jeffery Mansoor, 525 W Acacia St, Stockton, 209-670-3572
- NorCal Pain Treatment Center, 1739 Colorado Ave, Turlock, 209-448-3000
- Tracy Rehabilitation and Pain Center, 2160 W Grant Line Rd, STE 110, Tracy, 209-830-6558
- San Joaquin General Hospital Pain Management Clinic, 500 West Hospital Road, STE A, French Camp, Appointments: (209) 468-6820 – NOTE: SJGH Pain Management Clinic is already taking HPSJ patients not assigned with them.
- Bright Heart Health, Bright Heart Health has an integrated pain management program offered through telemedicine. They offer non-opioid pain medications and can help transition patients to a partial opioid agonist such as buprenorphine. They will not prescribe full opioid agonists but will work with to taper members off full opioid agonists if that is the appropriate treatment plan. Referrals can be made to Bright Heart through HPSJ as a specialist referral.
We appreciate all actions you take to manage the care for our members.
If you have further questions, please contact your HPSJ Provider Services Representative at 1.888.936.PLAN (7526).