Communication Strategies for Safe Opioid Tapering and Discontinuation
Emily Leppien, PharmD, BCPS, BCPP
9:15-10:15 a.m.
Overview
This presentation will equip healthcare professionals with practical, evidence-based approaches to safe opioid tapering and discontinuation. Participants will learn how to identify when opioid tapering is clinically appropriate, engage patients in opioid-related conversations using stigma-free communication, and apply safe tapering strategies that minimize withdrawal, uncontrolled pain, and treatment abandonment. Emphasis will be placed on maintaining patient trust, shared decision-making, and ongoing engagement to support safe opioid use and improved clinical outcomes.
Learning Objectives
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Determine when opioid tapering and/or discontinuation is clinically appropriate based on patient assessment and risk factors.
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Identify stigma-free communication strategies when discussing opioid tapering with patients who present with safety concerns related to opioid use.
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Explain evidence-based strategies to safely taper and/or discontinue opioid therapy while maintaining patient participation and trust.
Biography
Emily Leppien, PharmD, BCPS, BCPP
Emily Leppien, PharmD, BCPS, BCPP, is a Clinical Associate Professor at Binghamton University School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. She provides didactic and experiential education in pain management and substance use disorders. As part of her faculty appointment, Dr. Leppien established a clinical practice at Guthrie Binghamton Pain Care, where she provides comprehensive pain management services. In this practice, she integrates the treatment of mental health conditions and substance use disorders into chronic pain care. Dr. Leppien’s professional and research interests focus on the safe use of psychotropic medications, non-opioid therapies for chronic pain, pain management in individuals with opioid use disorder, and the integration of behavioral health services within chronic pain care.
Presentation Slides
Coming soon.