From Prescription to Pickup: Addressing Buprenorphine Availability

Overview

This online course is part of the Texas Opioid Training Initiative (TXOTI.org), an initiative that promotes evidence-based practices to reduce opioid and other substance-related harm in Texas communities. This course includes one unique module that addresses pharmacy-level barriers that prevent patient access to prescription buprenorphine and how the barriers lead to poor health outcomes or even death for the patient. While the information in this course is aimed at clinicians practicing in Texas, the core concepts are still applicable to any professional working with individuals who use drugs.

Registration (FREE)

Register for this activity using the BLUE Continue button at the bottom of this page.
After registration is complete, save your email & password and bookmark this page for easier access in the future.
Returning to the Course: To continue where you left off, click Login in the upper right corner of the screen and enter your email and password. Do not use the blue button to log back in - this is for first-time access only.
See Continuing Education Credit below for course completion requirements.

Fee

$0.00

CE Hours

0.50

CE Units

0.050

Activity Type

Knowledge

Target Audience(s)

Pharmacists
Pharmacy Technicians

Module

From Prescription to Pickup: Addressing Buprenorphine Availability Gaps in Community Pharmacies

Learning Objectives

Recall the importance of buprenorphine in the evidence-based treatment of opioid use disorder (OUD).
Describe community pharmacy-level barriers to buprenorphine access.
Summarize recent legal and regulatory charges impacting OUD care.
Identify actionable strategies pharmacists and pharmacy technicians can implement to support people with OUD.

Presenter

Sorina Torrez, PharmD

Clinical Pharmacist

Central Health

Dr. Sorina B. Torrez, PharmD, MSc, earned her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from The University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy in 2022, where she also pursued post-graduate training. In May 2024, she completed a concurrent pharmacy residency and Master of Pharmaceutical Sciences program. Dr. Torrez’ research primarily focused on improving outcomes for individuals with substance use disorders. As part of The Pharmacy Addictions Research and Medicine (PhARM) Program at UT Austin, she worked to identify and address barriers to buprenorphine and naloxone access in Texas community pharmacies. Her clinical training focused on primary care, mental health, and addiction medicine care in outpatient settings. In an ambulatory care setting, she now serves as a clinical pharmacist at Central Health in Austin, Texas, and works with multiple specialties including psychiatry, nephrology, hepatology, and palliative care.

Financial Disclosure: Presenter does not have any financial relationships to disclose.

Activity Number

0067-0000-25-051-H08-P/T

Release Date: Jul 1, 2025

Credit Expiration Date: Jul 1, 2027

CE Hours

0.50

Continuing Education Credit

Steps to Complete Module for CE Credit

This online activity is approved for a maximum of 0.05 CEU (0.5 contact hour) of continuing education credit.

To receive CE credit:

Make sure you are registered and logged in (your name should appear in the top right of the screen).
Open the module by clicking the title in the light blue tab listed above.
Within the module, scroll down to Presentation Materials to view the video and presentation slides.
After viewing the video/slides in its entirety, take the test (no minimum score required).
Upon completing the test, submit the evaluation to earn CE credit. A certificate with CE credit can be accessed by clicking "View/Print CE Credit" listed at the top of the page. The CE certificate remains available in the learner's CE profile for future access.
NOTE: Pharmacy CE credit is automatically transmitted via CPE Monitor using the NABP e-profile ID entered during registration.

Visit the CE accreditation information to view the different types of CE credit offered for this course.

Funding Disclosure

This presentation is supported by the Texas Targeted Opioid Response, a public health initiative operated by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission through federal funding from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, grant award number 1H79TI087739-01.

The views expressed in this online course do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the Department of Health and Human Services, Texas Health and Human Services, University of Texas System, UT Health San Antonio, UT Austin, the U.S. or Texas Government, or any of the entities they represent.

Questions

If you have questions about course content or CE credit, please email the UT College of Pharmacy Continuing Education Office: UTpharmacyCE@austin.utexas.edu