Course Description
Buprenorphine, a partial mu‑opioid receptor agonist, is well established as first‑line treatment for opioid use disorder and has emerging evidence supporting its use in chronic pain management. Recent systematic reviews and national VA/DoD guidance indicate that buprenorphine provides comparable or superior analgesia to full opioid agonists, with a longer duration of action and a more favorable safety profile. Appropriate patient selection, dosing strategies, and transitions from full opioid agonists require targeted pharmacist education to ensure safe and effective use. By the end of this webinar, learners will be able to evaluate the evidence for buprenorphine in chronic pain management, determine appropriate patient use, and develop patient‑centered treatment plans.
Learning Objectives
- Examine evidence for the use of buprenorphine in chronic pain management to inform clinical decision-making.
- Determine the appropriateness of buprenorphine treatment for individual patients with chronic pain based on medication and patient characteristics.
- Outline patient-centered pain management plans for chronic pain based on patient-specific factors and current evidence on buprenorphine.
Target Audience
If you are a pharmacist, nurse practitioner, or other health care professional involved in the comprehensive medication management of individuals living with mental health and/or substance use disorders, we invite you to participate in this online course.
Faculty
View biographical information
Kara Wong, PharmD, BCPP, FAAPP
Pain Management, Opioid Safety & PDMP Coordinator; Clinical Pharmacist Practitioner - Pain Management; Minneapolis VA Health Care System
Kara Wong received her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Pharmacy, and completed her PGY-1 pharmacy practice residency at the Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System in Seattle, WA as well as her PGY-2 psychiatric pharmacy residency at Center for Behavioral Medicine in Kansas City, MO. She joined the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Health Care System in 2013 as the inpatient mental health clinical pharmacy specialist and the PGY-2 psychiatric pharmacy residency program director. In 2022, she transitioned to a new role as facility Pain Management, Opioid Safety and Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PMOP) coordinator. Within the VA she leads numerous quality improvement initiatives relating to safe pain medication and psychotropic use as well as expansion of pharmacy services. For her clinical practice, she is a member of the interdisciplinary primary care pain management team and provides comprehensive medication management under a scope of practice for Veterans with chronic pain. She is also an instructor for Empowered Relief® for chronic pain.
Dr. Wong is also actively involved in the American Association of Psychiatric Pharmacists (AAPP) (formerly the College of Psychiatric & Neurologic Pharmacists), and has served on the Business Development Committee (2012-2013), the Publications and Online Products Committee (2013-2014), the Psychiatric Pharmacotherapy Review Course Medication Table Editorial Board (2014) and the BCPP Recertification Editorial Board (2015 – 2026). In recognition of her service AAPP and excellence in advancing the practice of psychiatric pharmacy, she was selected as a Fellow of AAPP in 2025.
Course Requirements
To receive ACPE credit for this session, you must:
- Register for this course.
- Review the full content of the activity and reflect upon its teachings.
- Complete the evaluation at the end of the activity.
- Provide the necessary details in your profile to ensure correct reporting by AAPP to CPE Monitor.
Continuing Education Credit and Disclosures
Activity Dates: 10/2/2026-10/2/2029
ACPE Contact Hours: 1.25
ACPE Number: 0284-0000-##-###-###-P (Application)
 | The American Association of Psychiatric Pharmacists is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education as a provider of continuing pharmacy education. |
Nursing Credit Reminder: Note that ACPE credit is accepted for ANCC Certification Renewal and AANPCB advanced practice provider content. For specific questions related to your organization's acceptance of ACPE continuing education units, please contact your organization directly.
View Faculty and Program Planning Committee Disclosures of Interest
Faculty: Kara Wong, PharmD, BCPP, FAAPP has nothing to disclose
Planning Committee: Members and disclosures listed here.
View AAPP's Disclaimer and Disclosure Declarations
AAPP Disclaimer: Participants have an implied responsibility to use the newly acquired information to enhance patient outcomes and their own professional development. Any procedures, medications, or other courses of diagnosis or treatment discussed or suggested in this activity should not be used by clinicians without evaluation of their patient’s conditions and possible contraindications on dangers in use, review of any applicable manufacturer’s product information, and comparison with recommendations of other authorities. Please refer to the official prescribing information for each product for discussion of approved indications, contraindications, and warnings.
Unlabeled Use Disclosure: Faculty of this CME/CE activity may include discussions of products or devices that are not currently labeled for use by the FDA. The faculty have been informed of their responsibility to disclose to the audience if they will be discussing off-label or investigational uses (any uses not approved by the FDA) of products or devices. CME Outfitters, LLC, the faculty, planners, and American Association of Psychiatric Pharmacists do not endorse the use of any product outside of the FDA labeled indications. Medical professionals should not utilize the procedures, products, or diagnosis techniques discussed during this activity without evaluation of their patient for contraindications or dangers of use.
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View AAPP's Fair Balance and Integrity Statement
It is the policy of AAPP to ensure independence, balance, objectivity, scientific rigor, and integrity in continuing education activities. Those involved in the development of this continuing education activity have made all reasonable efforts to ensure that information contained herein is accurate in accordance with the latest available scientific knowledge at the time of accreditation of this continuing education activity. Information regarding drugs (e.g., their administration, dosages, contraindications, adverse reactions, interactions, special warnings, and precautions) and drug delivery systems is subject to change, however, and the reader is advised to check the manufacturer’s package insert for information concerning recommended dosage and potential problems or cautions prior to dispensing or administering the drug or using the drug delivery systems.
Fair balance is achieved through ongoing and thorough review of all materials produced by faculty, and all educational and advertising materials produced by supporting organizations, prior to educational offerings. Approval of credit for this continuing education activity does not imply endorsement by AAPP for any product or manufacturer identified.