2018 Webinar: Why Do Opioids Not Work Long Term in Workers’ Compensation Patients?

Opioids have been around since the 1950s and have been prescribed for multiple conditions – to suppress cough, diarrhea, treat addiction, and most notably pain. Now, they have become the most addictive, most prescribed and most illegally used drugs in the United States. They aren’t even that effective long term. This webinar will look at possible reasons why long term opioids don’t usually work in terms of improving quality of life and function. In addition to updating “the opioid crisis,” this session will explore possible reasons for failure. Opioid hyperalgesia and central effects of opioids; why opioids especially don’t work in many injured workers; the lack of anatomical pain generators in many of these patients; and the psychological basis of pain and resulting opioid failure. Dr. Hazlewood will look at two case studies of opioid failure in work-related injuries and will look at research data on problems with long term usage. Dr. Jeffrey Hazlewood, Board Certified in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, subspecialty Board Certification in Pain Medicine, will look at two case studies of opioid failure in work-related injuries and will look at research data on problems with long term usage.

Panelists:

JEFFREY E. HAZLEWOOD, M.D. practices Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation/Pain Management in both Lebanon and Murfreesboro, TN, and he is an Associate Staff Member at Tennova Healthcare Hospital in Lebanon.  After receiving his medical degree from the University of Tennessee, Memphis, he completed his residency at the University of Alabama, Birmingham, where he was chief resident.  A Fellow of the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Dr. Hazlewood is Board Certified in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation with a subspecialty Board Certification in Pain Medicine.  He is a member  of the Medical Impairment Rating Registry and has received training on the 5th and 6th Editions of the AMA Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment.  He also teaches 6th Edition Impairment Rating courses to doctors and attorneys. His society memberships include the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, the American Association of Neuromuscular and Electrodiagnostic Medicine, the Tennessee Medical Association, The Tennessee Pain Society, the American Medical Association, and the Rotary Club.  He is an experienced speaker on various aspects of pain management and topics in Worker’s Compensation. Dr. Hazlewood also previously served as an assistant medical director for the Tennessee Division of Workers Compensation.

KENNETH D. VEIT is a Member of Leitner, Williams, Dooley, & Napolitan, PLLC, the ALFA International frim in Nashville, Tennessee. Mr. Veit has been practicing law since 2003 with a primary focus on workers compensation defense. Mr. Veit represents clients at administrative, trial and appellate levels. He is an active member of the ALFA International Workers’ Compensation Practice Group, including a member of the ALFA steering committee. Mr. Veit is also a member of the American Bar Association, Tennessee and Nashville Bar Associations, Kentucky Bar Association, Defense Research Institute, and Tennessee Defense Lawyers Association. Mr. Veit is regularly asked to present lectures on Tennessee Workers’ Compensation to employers and insurance companies.