Chronic pain and opioid use have become topics of importance as opioid overdose deaths have risen to epidemic proportions throughout the nation. Chronic pain lasts for long periods of time, and can be caused by a past injury or arise without a known cause. Opioids have largely been utilized to treat pain in the past, but it has been discovered that opioids are better used to treat acute pain and not chronic pain. Opioids can have negative consequences including changes to the brain, depression, increased pain, constipation, sedation, and even death. There are many evidence-based alternatives to opioids available, but often, the general public doesn't know what or where they are. The Primary Care Pain and Opioid Monitoring Program (PC-POP) was created to enlighten and address these issues in rural, at-risk, undeserved communities. This program has united available resources in communities, provided resources for veterans and the general community, and emphasized the need for community-based opioid education. As a result of these efforts, over 115 implementation materials have been created as this program was developed, including marketing materials, standard operation procedures, and means of evaluation and measurement. These materials increase program exportability into other rural communities, and makes exportation generalizable and customizable.
