John Prunskis, MD, is one of 29 members in the Pain Management Best Practices Inter-Agency Task Force, which aims to identify gaps in pain management to tackle the opioid crisis, the Daily Herald reports.
HHS, along with the VA and U.S. Department of Defense, oversees the task force.
Here are four things to know:
1. The task force has been meeting since late May and is mandated to make a report of its final recommendations by January 2019.
2. According to Dr. Prunskis, the task force will:
- Establish best practices for treating pain without relying on opioids as a primary approach.
- Educate physicians on how to employ such practices and ensure continued access to opioids for patients who need them.
- Shield physicians who are correctly prescribing opioids from prosecution.
3. Dr. Prunskis and the other task force members meet electronically each week to work on recommendations for improving pain care.
4. Dr. Prunskis is the medical director and co-founder of the Illinois Pain Institute in Elgin.
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