Patient-centric pain management decision aid reduces opioid use posthysterectomy
The average number of opioids prescribed at discharge dropped from 25 to 10, and hydrocodone went from being prescribed in 99 cases to just 14
According to the type of opioid prescribed at discharge, hydrocodone 5 mg was prescribed in 99 cases (50.8%) before decision aid implementation and in 14 cases (7.9%) after implementation. By contrast, oxycodone 5 mg was prescribed in 85 cases (43.6%) before implementation and in 149 cases (84.2%) after implementation.
The number of refill requests was similar before (n = 11 [5.6%]) and after (n = 12 [6.8%]) the aid’s implementation.
Tool reduced opioid availability in the community
The use of a simple patient decision aid—which focuses on opioid education and engages patients in an appropriate postoperative pain management plan—can result in fewer opioid tablets in the community while still providing adequate pain control, the authors concluded.
Online resource. For more on targeted strategies to optimize opioid prescribing after surgery, visit the University of Michigan’s Opioid Prescribing Engagement Network (OPEN) at https://michigan-open.org.
