9138: Stop the Stigma with Chronic Pain Management

NO FEE

Course Description

Chronic pain is a complex and multifactorial condition that affects millions of patients and remains a leading cause of disability and reduced quality of life. Despite its prevalence, chronic pain is frequently accompanied by significant stigma, which impacts both patients and the practitioners who care for them. Patients with chronic pain are often perceived as exaggerating symptoms, seeking attention, or primarily motivated by obtaining medications. Providers treating chronic pain face their own set of challenges and may encounter scrutiny regarding their clinical decision-making, concern about being perceived as enabling medication misuse, and increasing regulatory and payer pressures. In particular, insurance-related barriers frequently limit access to non-opioid and alternative therapies, making it difficult to implement comprehensive, evidence-based treatment plans. These stigmatizing attitudes may even originate from healthcare professionals, family members, peers, and society. They may lead to patient isolation, reduced trust in the healthcare system, and affect treatment.

This educational activity addresses these critical issues by emphasizing strategies to reduce the stigma and focus on a patient’s functional goals rather than a pain score. This creates a targeted, patient-centered approach to pain management. The course highlights the multidimensional nature of pain, including physiologic, anatomic, functional, and psychosocial contributors, reinforcing the need for comprehensive assessment strategies.

Learning Objectives
  1. List the targeted pain treatment principles focusing on treating the source of pain; not the pain score
  2. Incorporate evidence-based practices to reduce the stigma of chronic pain treatment
  3. Develop pain management strategies including integrating physical therapy, behavioral health, and medical management
Course Format

This course is an online video option. It consists of a one-hour video presentation, followed by a test. 

Credit Awarded

  • 1.0 hour of mandatory controlled substances CME credit for physicians and other prescribers (excluding Oklahoma DOs)
  • 5% Premium Credit for Physician Policyholders
  • Certificate of Participation for Non-Physicians
This CME course qualifies for 1.0 mandatory prescribing credit hour with all professional boards with the exception of the Oklahoma Board of Osteopathic Examiners. For information regarding your CME/CE requirements/credits, please contact your licensure board.

 

Course summary
Available credit: 
  • 1.00 AMA CME
  • 1.00 Attendance
Course opens: 
06/01/2026
Course expires: 
12/31/2028

Course Development

This course was developed by SVMIC’s Risk and Practice Management Department.

Speaker

Stephanie Vanterpool, MD, MBA, FASA

CME Information

Accreditation:  This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint providership of the University of Tennessee College of Medicine (UTCOM) and State Volunteer Mutual Insurance Company. The UTCOM is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

AMA Credit Designation:  The UTCOM designates this enduring material for a maximum of 1 AMA PRA Category 1 CreditTM. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

AOA:  This program is recognized for one (1) CME credit in Category 2 by the American Osteopathic Association. Physicians will need to submit proof of completion from the University of Tennessee directly to the AOA to receive CME credits.

Continuing Education for Non-Physicians:  The UTCOM will issue Certificates of Participation to non-physicians for participating in this activity and designates it for CEUs using the national standard that 1 hour of educational instruction is awarded .1 CEU.

This activity was reviewed by Matthew L Perkins, MD, on April 5, 2026. This activity was released on June 1, 2026 and will expire on December 31, 2028. SVMIC will not process any completions after December 31, 2028.

          

CME Disclosure

In accordance with ACCME Standard 3: Identify, Mitigate and Disclose Relevant Financial Relationships, the University of Tennessee College of Medicine (UTCOM) requires that anyone who is in a position to control the content of an activity disclose all relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies within the past 24 months. Prior to the planning and implementation of this CME activity, UTCOM has taken steps to identify and resolve conflicts of interest for all individuals in a position to control content of this CME activity. No commercial support was received for this activity.

Faculty/Planning Committee Disclosure

All planning committee members have indicated they have no relevant financial relationship(s) to disclose with ineligible companies whose primary business is producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing healthcare products used by or on patients.

Staff and Content Reviewer(s)

SVMIC staff, input committee and all content validation reviewers involved with this activity have reported no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies.

Available Credit

  • 1.00 AMA CME
  • 1.00 Attendance
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