Variation In Opioid Prescribing Research Articles

Drivers of Variation in Opioid Prescribing after Common Surgical Procedures in a Large Multihospital Healthcare System.

Misuse of prescription opioids is a well-established contributor to the US opioid epidemic. The primary objective of this study was to identify which level of care delivery (ie patient, prescriber, or hospital) produced the most unwarranted variation in opioid prescribing after common surgical procedures. Electronic health record data from a large multihospital healthcare system were used in conjunction with random-effect models to examine variation in opioid prescribing practices after similar inpatient and outpatient surgical procedures between October 2019 and September 2021. Unwarranted variation was conceptualized as variation resulting from prescriber behavior unsupported by evidence. Covariates identified as drivers of warranted variation included characteristics known to influence pain levels or patient safety. All other model variables, including prescriber specialty and patient race, ethnicity, and insurance status were characterized as potential drivers of unwarranted variation. Among 25,188 procedures with an opioid prescription at hospital discharge, 53.5% exceeded guideline recommendations, corresponding to 13,228 patients receiving the equivalent of >140,000 excess 5 mg oxycodone tablets after surgical procedures. Prescribing variation was primarily driven by prescriber-level factors, with approximately half of the total variation in morphine milligram equivalents prescribed observed at the prescriber level and not explained by any measured variables. Unwarranted covariates associated with higher prescribed opioid quantity included non-Hispanic Black race, Medicare insurance, smoking history, later hospital discharge times, and prescription by a surgeon rather than a hospitalist or primary care provider. Given the large proportion of unexplained variation observed at the provider level, targeting prescribers through education and training may be an effective strategy for reducing postoperative opioid prescribing.

Using implementation science to decrease variation and high opioid administration in a surgical ICU.

High doses and prolonged duration of opioids are associated with tolerance, dependence, and increased mortality. Unfortunately, despite recent efforts to curb outpatient opioid prescribing because of the ongoing epidemic, utilization remains high in the intensive care setting, with intubated patients commonly receiving infusions with a potency much higher than doses required to achieve pain control. We attempted to use implementation science techniques to monitor and reduce excessive opioid prescribing in ventilated patients in our Surgical ICU. We conducted a prospective study investigating opioid administration in a closed SICU at an academic medical center over 18 months. Commonly accepted conversions were used to aggregate daily patient opioid use. Patients with a history of chronic opioid use and those being treated with an ICP monitor/drain, neuromuscular blocker, or ECMO were excluded. If the patient spent a portion of a day on a ventilator, that day's total was included in the "vent group." MMEs per patient were collected for each patient and assigned to the on-call intensivist. Intensivists were blinded to the data for the first seven months. They were then provided with academic detailing followed by audit & feedback over the subsequent 11 months, demonstrating how opioid utilization during their time in the SICU compared to the unit average and a blinded list of the other attendings. Student's T-tests were performed to compare opioid utilization before and after initiation of academic detailing and audit & feedback. Opioid utilization in patients on a ventilator decreased by 20.1% during the feedback period, including less variation among all intensivists and a 30.9% reduction by the highest prescribers. Implementation science approaches can effectively reduce variation in opioid prescribing, especially for high outliers in a SICU. These interventions may reduce the risks associated with prolonged use of high-dose opioids. Prospective pre-post-intervention, Level II.

Institutional and Regional Variation in Opioid Prescribing for Hospitalized Infants in the US

High-risk infants, defined as newborns with substantial neonatal-perinatal morbidities, often undergo multiple procedures and require prolonged intubation, resulting in extended opioid exposure that is associated with poor outcomes. Understanding variation in opioid prescribing can inform quality improvement and best-practice initiatives. To examine regional and institutional variation in opioid prescribing, including short- and long-acting agents, in high-risk hospitalized infants. This retrospective cohort study assessed high-risk infants younger than 1 year from January 1, 2016, to December 31, 2022, at 47 children's hospitals participating in the Pediatric Health Information System (PHIS). The cohort was stratified by US Census region (Northeast, South, Midwest, and West). Variation in cumulative days of opioid exposure and methadone treatment was examined among institutions using a hierarchical generalized linear model. High-risk infants were identified by International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, Tenth Revision codes for congenital heart disease surgery, medical and surgical necrotizing enterocolitis, extremely low birth weight, very low birth weight, hypoxemic ischemic encephalopathy, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, and other abdominal surgery. Infants with neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome, in utero substance exposure, or malignant tumors were excluded. Any opioid exposure and methadone treatment. Regional and institutional variations in opioid exposure. Overall, 132 658 high-risk infants were identified (median [IQR] gestational age, 34 [28-38] weeks; 54.5% male). Prematurity occurred in 30.3%, and 55.3% underwent surgery. During hospitalization, 76.5% of high-risk infants were exposed to opioids and 7.9% received methadone. Median (IQR) length of any opioid exposure was 5 (2-12) cumulative days, and median (IQR) length of methadone treatment was 19 (7-46) cumulative days. There was significant hospital-level variation in opioid and methadone exposure and cumulative days of exposure within each US region. The computed intraclass correlation coefficient estimated that 16% of the variability in overall opioid prescribing and 20% of the variability in methadone treatment was attributed to the individual hospital. In this retrospective cohort study of high-risk hospitalized infants, institution-level variation in overall opioid exposure and methadone treatment persisted across the US. These findings highlight the need for standardization of opioid prescribing in this vulnerable population.

Practice-Level Variation in Opioid-Free Discharge Following Surgery for T1 Renal Masses: A MUSIC-KIDNEY Analysis.

Opioid prescription following surgery has played a role in the current opioid epidemic. We evaluated practice-level variation in opioid prescribing following surgery for cT1 renal masses and examined the relationships between opioid-free discharge and postoperative emergency department (ED) visits and readmissions. We retrospectively examined all T1 renal mass (RM) patients with data regarding postoperative opioid prescriptions within the Michigan Urological Surgery Improvement Collaborative-Kidney Mass: Identifying and Defining Necessary Evaluation and Therapy (MUSIC-KIDNEY) registry from April 2021 to March 2023. Patients were stratified into those who received opioids at discharge and those with opioid-free discharge. Associations with patient, tumor, and surgical factors were evaluated. Rates of postoperative ED visits and readmissions within 30 days were compared between cohorts. Practice-level variation was assessed. Of 414 patients who underwent surgery for T1 RM across 15 practices in MUSIC-KIDNEY, 23.7% had opioid-free discharge. Practice-level variation in rates of opioid-free discharge ranged from 6.7% to 55.0%. For patients prescribed opioids, the median number of pills was 10 (IQR 6-12). Patients with cT1b masses were more likely to have opioid-free discharge (44.9% vs 32%, OR 0.44; 95% CI 0.22-0.89). Rates of 30-day ED visits (7.0% vs 3.1%) and readmissions (4.1% vs 2.0%) were lower in the opioid-free discharge group but did not reach statistical significance. MUSIC-KIDNEY data suggest opioid-free discharge is not associated with increased rates of postoperative ED visits or readmissions. There exists wide practice-level variation in opioid prescriptions following surgery for T1 RM in the state of Michigan. Similar variation likely exists throughout the United States, and best surgical practice suggests reduction in opioid prescribing after nephrectomy.

Opioid prescribing patterns among medical practitioners in New South Wales, Australia.

Prescriber behaviour is important for understanding opioid use patterns. We described variations in practitioner-level opioid prescribing in New South Wales, Australia (2013-2018). We quantified opioid prescribing patterns among medical practitioners using population-level dispensing claims data, and used partitioning around medoids to identify clusters of practitioners who prescribe opioids based on prescribing patterns and patient characteristics identified from linked dispensing claims, hospitalisations and mortality data. The number of opioid prescribers ranged from 20,179 in 2013 to 23,408 in 2018. The top 1% of practitioners prescribed 15% of all oral morphine equivalent (OME) milligrams dispensed annually, with a median of 1382 OME grams (interquartile range [IQR], 1234-1654) per practitioner; the bottom 50% prescribed 1% of OMEs dispensed, with a median of 0.9 OME grams (IQR 0.2-2.6). Based on 63.6% of practitioners with ≥10 patients filling opioid prescriptions in 2018, we identified four distinct practitioner clusters. The largest cluster prescribed multiple analgesic medicines for older patients (23.7% of practitioners) accounted for 76.7% of all OMEs dispensed and comprised 93.0% of the top 1% of practitioners by opioid volume dispensed. The cluster prescribing analgesics for younger patients with high rates of surgery (18.7% of practitioners) prescribed only 1.6% of OMEs. The remaining two clusters comprised 21.2% of prescribers and 20.9% of OMEs dispensed. We observed substantial variation in opioid prescribing among practitioners, clustered around four general patterns. We did not assess appropriateness but some prescribing patterns are concerning. Our findings provide insights for targeted interventions to curb potentially harmful practices.

PD07-01 PRACTICE-LEVEL VARIATION IN OPIOID-FREE DISCHARGE FOLLOWING SURGERY FOR T1 RENAL MASSES: A MUSIC-KIDNEY ANALYSIS

You have accessJournal of UrologyCME1 Apr 2023PD07-01 PRACTICE-LEVEL VARIATION IN OPIOID-FREE DISCHARGE FOLLOWING SURGERY FOR T1 RENAL MASSES: A MUSIC-KIDNEY ANALYSIS Samantha Wilder, Ji Qi, Mahin Mirza, Adam Gadzinski, Thomas Maatman, Brian Lane, Craig Rogers, and for the Michigan Urological Surgery Improvement Collaborative Samantha WilderSamantha Wilder More articles by this author , Ji QiJi Qi More articles by this author , Mahin MirzaMahin Mirza More articles by this author , Adam GadzinskiAdam Gadzinski More articles by this author , Thomas MaatmanThomas Maatman More articles by this author , Brian LaneBrian Lane More articles by this author , Craig RogersCraig Rogers More articles by this author , and for the Michigan Urological Surgery Improvement Collaborative for the Michigan Urological Surgery Improvement Collaborative More articles by this author View All Author Informationhttps://doi.org/10.1097/JU.0000000000003231.01AboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints ShareFacebookLinked InTwitterEmail Abstract INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: The prescription of opioids following surgery has played a role in the current opioid epidemic, both by increasing the risk of persistent opioid use and through diversion of unused pills into the community. We evaluated practice-level variation in opioid prescribing following surgery for cT1 renal masses (T1RM) and examined the relationships between opioid-free discharge and postoperative emergency department (ED) visits and readmissions. METHODS: We retrospectively examined all T1RM patients with data regarding prescription of postoperative opioids within the MUSIC-KIDNEY registry from April 2021 to August 2022. Patients were stratified into those who received opioids at discharge and those who had opioid-free discharge, and associations with patient, tumor, and surgical factors were evaluated. Practice-level variation was assessed. Rates of postoperative ED visits and readmissions within 30 days were compared between cohorts. RESULTS: Of 248 patients who underwent surgery for T1RM across 11 practices in MUSIC-KIDNEY, 24.2% underwent opioid-free discharge. Practice level variation in rates of opioid-free discharge ranged from 0% to 72.7% (Figure 1). For patients prescribed opioids, the median number of pills was 12 (IQR 8-12). Patients prescribed opioids at discharge had a higher median BMI than those with opioid-free discharge (31.7 vs 28.7, p=0.003). Other patient comorbidities, tumor factors, surgical approach (minimally invasive vs. open), and surgery type (partial vs. radical nephrectomy) did not differ between cohorts (p>0.05). The opioid-free group had at least comparable rates of 30 day ED visits (0% vs. 3.2%) and readmission (1.7% vs. 5.3%), although this did not reach statistical significance (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: MUSIC-KIDNEY data suggests that opioid-free discharge is not associated with increased rates of postoperative ED visits or readmissions. There exists wide practice-level variation in the prescription of opioids following surgery for T1RM in the state of Michigan. Further investigation into additional factors driving this variation is warranted. There is potential to learn from practices that are safely limiting the number of pills entering the community, and future QI initiatives may focus on this metric. Source of Funding: Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan © 2023 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Volume 209Issue Supplement 4April 2023Page: e161 Advertisement Copyright & Permissions© 2023 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.MetricsAuthor Information Samantha Wilder More articles by this author Ji Qi More articles by this author Mahin Mirza More articles by this author Adam Gadzinski More articles by this author Thomas Maatman More articles by this author Brian Lane More articles by this author Craig Rogers More articles by this author for the Michigan Urological Surgery Improvement Collaborative More articles by this author Expand All Advertisement PDF downloadLoading ...

Variation in Opioid Prescribing After Vaginal and Cesarean Birth: A Statewide Analysis.

Our aim was to evaluate variation in opioid prescribing rates and prescription size following childbirth across providers and hospitals. This retrospective cohort study analyzed claims data from a single-payer Preferred Provider Organization from June 2014 to May 2019 in 84 hospitals in a statewide quality collaborative. All patients aged 12-55years, undergoing childbirth, with continuous enrollment in pregnancy were included. The primary outcome was the predicted rate of postpartum opioid fills from 7days before birth to 3days after discharge. Secondary outcomes included postpartum opioid prescription size in oral morphine equivalents, a standardized measure that includes the number of pills prescribed times the strength of the medication. Multilevel regression models accounted for clustering. We calculated attributable variation in opioid fills using the intraclass correlation coefficient. Of 41,427 births, 15,459 patients (37.2%) filled a postpartum opioid prescription (vaginal, 4,624/27,536 [16.8%]; cesarean, 10,835/13,891 [78.0%]). The median postpartum prescription size was 150 oral morphine equivalents (interquartile range [IQR], 30) (vaginal, 135; [IQR, 45]; cesarean, 150 [IQR, 75]). In adjusted models, the rates of opioid prescribing after vaginal birth differed from cesarean birth (vaginal median, 12.1% [range, 1.1%-60.0%]; cesarean median, 80.4% [range, 43.6%-90.2%]). More variation in postpartum opioid fills was attributable to providers and hospitals for vaginal (provider, 29%; hospital, 24%) than cesarean birth (provider, 8%; hospital, 6%). Variation in prescription size was driven by providers for vaginal birth (provider, 27%; hospital, 6%) and providers and hospitals for cesarean birth (provider, 29%; hospital, 21%). Across a statewide quality collaborative, variation in postpartum opioid prescribing is attributable to providers and hospitals. Future efforts at the provider and hospital levels are needed to implement best practices for postpartum opioid prescribing.

Practice variation in opioid prescribing for non-cancer pain in Dutch primary care: A retrospective database study.

Prescription opioid use has increased steadily in many Western countries over the past two decades, most notably in the US, Canada, and most European countries, including the Netherlands. Especially the increasing use of prescription opioids for chronic non-cancer pain has raised concerns. Most opioids in the Netherlands are prescribed in general practices. However, little is known about variation in opioid prescribing between general practices. To better understand this, we investigated practice variation in opioid prescribing for non-cancer pain between Dutch general practices. Data from 2017-2019 of approximately 10% of all Dutch general practices was used. Each year included approximately 1000000 patients distributed over approximately 380 practices. The primary outcome was the proportion of patients with chronic (>90 days) high-dose (≥90 oral morphine equivalents) opioid prescriptions. The secondary outcome was the proportion of patients with chronic (<90 oral morphine equivalents) opioid prescriptions. Practice variation was expressed as the ratio of the 95th/5th percentiles and the ratio of mean top 10/bottom 10. Funnel plots were used to identify outliers. Potential factors associated with unwarranted variation were investigated by comparing outliers on practice size, patient neighbourhood socioeconomic status, and urbanicity. Results were similar across all years. The magnitude of variation for chronic high-dose opioid prescriptions in 2019 was 7.51-fold (95%/5% ratio), and 15.1-fold (top 10/bottom 10 ratio). The percentage of outliers in the funnel plots varied between 13.8% and 21.7%. Practices with high chronic high-dose opioid prescription proportions were larger, and had more patients from lower income and densely populated areas. There might be unwarranted practice variation in chronic high-dose opioid prescriptions in primary care, pointing at possible inappropriate use of opioids. This appears to be related to socioeconomic status, urbanicity, and practice size. Further investigation of the factors driving practice variation can provide target points for quality improvement and reduce inappropriate care and unwarranted variation.

Global variation in opioid prescribing after head and neck reconstruction: understanding the United States' outlier status.

Global variation in opioid prescribing after head and neck reconstruction: understanding the United States' outlier status.

2022 Canadian Surgery Forum Sept. 15–17, 202201. Operative classification of ventral abdominal hernias: new and practical classification02. Watchful waiting for large primary splenic cysts03. Transversus abdominis plane (TAP) blocks with and without dexamethasone in colorectal surgery04. What factors determine publication of resident research day projects?05. Characterization of near-infrared imaging and indocyanine green use amongst general surgeons06. Variation in opioid prescribing

# 01. Operative classification of ventral abdominal hernias: new and practical classification {#article-title-2} Ventral hernias of the abdomen are defined as a noninguinal, nonhiatal defect in the fascia of the abdominal wall. Unfortunately, there is not currently a universal classification system

The variation of opioid prescription after injury and its association with long-term chronic pain: A multicenter cohort study

BackgroundOpioid overprescription in trauma contributes to the opioid epidemic through diversion of unused pills. Through our study, we sought to do the following: (1) understand the variation in opioid prescription after injury and its relationship to patient and/or clinical variables, and (2) study the relationship between opioid prescribing and long-term pain and analgesic use. MethodTrauma patients with an injury severity score ≥9 admitted to 3 level 1 trauma centers were screened for chronic pain and analgesic use 6 to 12 months postinjury. First, multivariable linear regression models were constructed with “oral morphine equivalents” and “number of opioid pills prescribed” at discharge as dependent variables. The coefficients of determination were calculated to determine how much of the variation in opioid prescription was explained by patient and clinical variables. Second, a multivariable logistic regression analysis was created to study the association between opioid prescription at discharge and chronic pain/analgesic use at 6 to 12 months. Analyses were adjusted for patient demographics, socioeconomics, comorbidities, injury parameters, and hospital course. ResultsOf the 2,702 patients included (mean [standard deviation] age: 61.0 [21.5]; 55% males), 74% were prescribed opioids at discharge (mean number of pills [standard deviation]: 24.0 [26.5]; mean oral morphine equivalent [standard deviation]: 204.8 [348.1]). The adjusted coefficients of determination for oral morphine equivalents and number of pills was 0.12 and 0.21, respectively, suggesting that the measured patient and clinical factors explain <21% of the variation in opioid prescribing in trauma. Patients prescribed opioids were more likely to have chronic pain (odds ratio [95%] confidence interval: 1.34 [1.05–1.71]) and use analgesics daily (odds ratio [95%] confidence interval: 1.86 [1.25–2.77]) 6 to 12 months postinjury. ConclusionThe variation in opioid prescription after traumatic injury is more affected by system and provider level rather than clinical or patient-related factors, and opioid prescribing correlates independently with long-term chronic pain and continued analgesic use postinjury. Efforts to decrease opioid use should prioritize standardizing prescription practices after traumatic injury.

Variation in prescribing of opioids for emergency department encounters: A cohort study in the Military Health System.

The design was a retrospective cohort study examining variation in opioid prescribing within EDs of the US MHS. Participants were Army soldiers who returned from a deployment and received care between October 2009 and September 2016. The exposure was ED encounters at a military treatment facility. Key measures were the proportion of ED encounters with an opioid prescription fill; total opioid dose of the fill (morphine milligram equivalent, MME); and total opioid days-supply of the fill. The mean proportion of ED encounters with an opioid fill across providers was 19.7% (SD 8.8%), median proportion was 18.6%, and the distribution was close to symmetric with the 75th percentile provider prescribing opioids in 24.6% of their ED encounters and the 25th percentile provider prescribing in 13.4% of their encounters. The provider-level mean opioid dose per encounter was 113.1 MME (SD 56.0) with the 75th percentile (130.1) 50% higher than the 25th percentile (87.4). The mean opioid supply per encounter was 6.8 days (SD 3.9) with more than a twofold ratio between the 75th percentile (8.3) and the 25th (4.1). Using a series of multilevel regression models to examine opioid fills associated with ED encounters and their dose levels, the variation among providers within facilities was much larger in magnitude than the variation among facilities. Among ED encounters of Army soldiers at military treatment facilities, there was substantial variation among providers in prescribing opioid prescriptions that were not explained by patient case-mix. These results suggest that programmes and protocols to address less than optimal prescribing in the ED should be initiated to improve the quality of care.

Multi-Institutional Quality Improvement Project to Minimize Opioid Prescribing in Children after Appendectomy Using NSQIP-Pediatric.

There is wide variation in opioid prescribing after appendectomy in children and adolescents, with recent increases noted in opioid-related pediatric deaths from prescription and illicit opioids. The goal of this project was to minimize opioid prescribing at the time of discharge for children undergoing appendectomy by using Quality Improvement (QI) methodology. Children (18 years of age or less) who underwent appendectomy were evaluated from January to December 2019 using NSQIP-Pediatric at 10 children's hospitals within the Western Pediatric Surgery Research Consortium. Before project initiation, 5 hospitals did not routinely prescribe opioids after appendectomy (protocol). At the remaining 5 hospitals, prescribing was not standardized and varied by surgeon (no-protocol). A prospective multi-institutional QI project was used to minimize outpatient opioid prescriptions for children after appendectomy. The proportion of children at each hospital receiving an opioid prescription at discharge was compared for 6 months before and after the intervention using chi-square analysis. Overall, 1,524 children who underwent appendectomy were evaluated from January to December 2019. After the QI intervention, overall opioid prescribing decreased from 18.2% to 4.0% (p < 0.001), with significant decreases in protocol hospitals (2.7% vs 0.8%, p = 0.038) and no-protocol hospitals (37.9% vs 8.8%, p < 0.001). The proportion of 30-day emergency room visits did not change after the QI intervention (8.9% vs 9.9%, p = 0.54) and mean postintervention pain management satisfaction scores were high. Opioid prescribing can be minimized in children after appendectomy without increasing emergency room visits or decreasing patient satisfaction. Furthermore, NSQIP-Pediatric can be used as a platform for multi-institutional collaboration for successful implementation of QI projects.

Examination of physician characteristics in opioid prescribing in the emergency department.

We aimed to better understand variation in opioid prescribing practices by investigating physician factors at one academic suburban Emergency Department (ED). We retrospectively reviewed the electronic medical records of all patients given opioid prescriptions in the Stanford Health Care ED from 2009 to 2018. We described the variation in opioid prescriptions over time from 2009 to 2018, then dove deeper into a single year (July 1, 2017 to July 1, 2018). We described the number and type of opioid prescriptions at discharge and variation in attending physician opioid prescribing patterns using independent t-tests and a Fischer's exact test. From 2009 to 2018, 657,037 patient visits occurred; 92,612 (14.1%) opioid prescriptions were written. Opioid prescriptions increased from 2009, peaked in 2015, then decreased. Individual providers wrote opioid prescriptions for 1 to 17% of their discharged patients. There was no significant difference in opioid prescribing based on provider gender (p = 0.456), fellow or attending status (p = 0.390), residency completed at Stanford Hospital (p = 0.593), residency completed within California (p = 0.493), or residency completed after 2010 (p = 0.589). Of the 371 providers who wrote opioid prescriptions from 2009 through 2018, 120 wrote prescriptions for patients who had already received at least three opioid prescriptions in the same year from the same department. This study could inform policymakers by describing patterns of variation in opioid prescribing over time and between providers. Although we did see significant differences in prescribing patterns from one provider to the next, those were not explained by the factors we examined. Further studies could investigate factors such as provider experience with pain and addiction, bias regarding particular pathologies, and concern around patient satisfaction scores.

Opioid Prescribing after Carpal Tunnel Release: Analysis from the Michigan Collaborative Hand Initiative for Quality in Surgery.

Little is known regarding the national practice patterns for postoperative opioid prescribing after carpal tunnel release, which is one of the most common surgical procedures performed. The authors sought to assess the rate of opioid prescribing after carpal tunnel release and patient-, surgeon-, and practice-level predictors of opioid prescriptions after surgery. The authors conducted a cohort study from the Michigan Collaborative Hand Initiative for Quality in Surgery, a national consortium of nine practices with 33 surgeons who prospectively collect data for the purpose of quality improvement. Patients were included who underwent carpal tunnel release between July 1, 2019, and December 31, 2019. Multilevel logistic regression was used to determine practice and surgeon variation in postoperative opioid prescribing related to patient characteristics. Of the 648 patients with 792 operative hands, 52.9 percent were prescribed a postoperative opioid. After controlling for patient, surgeon, and practice characteristics, endoscopic carpal tunnel releases were associated with a decreased odds of receiving a postoperative opioid prescription compared to open carpal tunnel releases (OR, 0.19; 95 percent CI, 0.07 to 0.52). However, 57.4 percent of the variation in opioid prescribing was explained at the practice level, and 4.1 percent of the variation was explained at the surgeon level. Practice-level prescribing patterns play a substantial role in opioid prescribing. National efforts should consider development of evidence-based opioid prescribing recommendations for carpal tunnel release that target all prescribers, including trainees and advanced practice providers. In addition, endoscopic carpal tunnel release may offer an opportunity to minimize opioid prescribing. The authors recommend that providers encourage the use of nonopioid analgesia and limit opioid prescriptions after carpal tunnel release. Risk, III.

Opioid-Free Discharge is Not Associated With Increased Unplanned Healthcare Encounters After Ureteroscopy: Results From a Statewide Quality Improvement Collaborative

ObjectivesTo evaluate patient factors associated with post-ureteroscopy opioid prescriptions, provider-level variation in opioid prescribing, and the relationship between opioid-free discharges and ED visits. MethodsThis is a retrospective analysis of a prospective cohort study of adults age 18 years and older who underwent primary ureteroscopy for urinary stones from June 2016 to September 2019 within the Michigan Urological Surgery Improvement Collaborative (MUSIC) Reducing Operative Complications from Kidney Stones (ROCKS) quality improvement initiative. Postoperative opioid prescription trends and variation among practices and surgeons were examined. Multivariable logistic regression models defined risk factors for receipt of opioid prescriptions. The association among opioid prescriptions and postoperative ED visits within 30 days of surgery was assessed among complete case and propensity matched cohorts, matched on all measured characteristics other than opioid receipt. Results13,143 patients underwent ureteroscopy with 157 urologists across 28 practices. Post-ureteroscopy opioid prescriptions and ED visits declined (86% to 39%, P<.001; 10% to 6%, P<.001, respectively). Practice and surgeon-level opioid prescribing varied from 8% to 98%, and 0% to 98%, respectively. Patient-related factors associated with opioid receipt included male, younger age, and history of chronic pain. Procedure-related factors associated with opioid receipt included pre- and post-ureteroscopy ureteral stenting and access sheath use. An opioid-free discharge was not associated with increased odds of an ED visit (OR 0.77, 95% CI 0.62-0.95, P=.014). ConclusionsThere was no increase in ED utilization among those not prescribed an opioid after ureteroscopy, suggesting their routine use may not be necessary in this setting.

Characteristics of Opioid Prescribing in Non-surgical Medicine Patients with Acute Pain at Hospital Discharge.

The opioid epidemic and new Joint Commission standards around opioid stewardship have made the appropriate prescribing of opioids a priority. A knowledge gap exists pertaining to the short-term prescription of opioids at hospital discharge for acute pain in non-surgical patients. To characterize the quantity, type, and indication of opioids prescribed for non-surgical patients on hospital discharge and subsequent patient utilization. This multicenter, single-health system retrospective cohort study was conducted for quality improvement purposes from December 2019 to May 2020 with patient follow-up 15 to 29 days after hospital discharge. Patients discharged from a medicine service with new opioid prescriptions, defined as no opioid prescription documented within the past 90 days, were identified as eligible through the electronic health record. Surveys were attempted until a total of 200 were completed, with 374 surveys attempted and a 53% response rate. Patients were contacted via phone and surveyed post-discharge. Surveys consisted of 28 questions and assessed opioid consumption, duration of use, refills, patient satisfaction, and opioid disposal. Prescribing indications and morphine milligram equivalents (MME) quantities were collected for patients at discharge. Subsequently, the quantity of prescribed opioids utilized, remaining, and disposed of post-discharge were collected via patient self-reported survey responses. Indications for opioid prescribing for 200 surveyed patients were grouped into eight broad prescribing categories. A median of 112.5 total MME was prescribed to patients at hospital discharge. Median MME consumed for surveyed patients was 45. The median total MME remaining at time of survey was 35 MME. Only 5.9% of patients who had leftover opioids reported disposal of the medication. Given the observed variation in opioid prescribing and utilization data, standardized indication-based opioid prescribing guidance in the non-surgical medical population would help curb the amount of opioids that remain unused post-discharge.

Evaluation of Opioid Prescribing Patterns and Drivers of Variation Following Endoscopic Procedures for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia Across an Integrated Academic Health System

To evaluate patient, provider, and facility factors associated with variation in opioid prescribing after endoscopic procedures for benign prostatic hyperplasia across a large academic health system to drive improvement efforts. Opioids prescribed at discharge for patients who underwent an endoscopic prostate procedure March 2018-November 2019 were analyzed. Multivariable logistic and linear regression were used to evaluate the relationship between patient, provider, and facility factors and the receipt of any opioid prescription and the quantity prescribed. We included 724 patients who had surgery with one of 26 urologists across five facilities. 222 (30.7%) received an opioid prescription, and the average morphine milligram equivalents (MMEs) prescribed was 97.9±33.5. We found wide variation in the proportion of patients who received an opioid prescription across surgeons (range 0%-88.9%) and facilities (range 19.9%-66.7%) and the average MMEs prescribed (range 25-188.5). Outpatient surgery (OR 2.32; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.22-4.40, P = .010) and preoperative opioid use (OR 15.04; CI 9.65-23.45, P < .001) were associated with higher rates of opioid prescribing, while prescribing decreased with increasing patient age (OR 0.97; CI 0.95-0.99, P = 0.016). Multivariable linear regression analysis demonstrated an association between surgery at satellite facilities, having a surgeon in practice for at least 20 years, and higher surgeon volume with increased MMEs prescribed. Opioid prescribing following endoscopic prostate procedures varied widely. Targeted interventions tailored to younger patients, those taking opioids preoperatively, recipients of outpatient surgery and those undergoing surgery at satellite facilities may be particularly high yield given the association between these factors and increased postoperative prescribing.

Opioid prescribing for surgical dental procedures in dental clinics of military treatment facilities

BackgroundVariation in opioid prescribing rates among geographic regions is well known and, to the authors’ knowledge, there have been no studies of variation from 1 dental clinic to another, and such variation might suggest an excess of opioid prescriptions. MethodsThe authors used a retrospective cohort design study of all dental encounter records for 819,453 soldiers in the dental clinics (n = 250) of the US Military Health System during the period from 2008 through 2017. ResultsThere were 743,459 dental surgical encounters. Opioid prescriptions were filled for 36.7% of these encounters. Multinomial multilevel regression found statistically significant between-facility variance in opioid prescribing, which was partially explained via facility-level characteristics (region, type, and percentage of surgeries for young patients), and practice variables (mean percentage extractions, percentage periodontic surgery, and percentage specialists). ConclusionsThe authors found a substantial variation in opioid prescribing among dental clinics in the US Military Health System. Dentists at 11 of the 30 largest military treatment facilities prescribed at a rate 4 percentage points higher than expected, and dentists at 9 of these military treatment facilities had a rate of 4 percentage points lower than expected. Additional study of the factors allowing the low-prescribing facilities to achieve these rates might lead to an overall decrease in opioid prescribing. Practical ImplicationsThe authors’ findings of dental opioid prescribing in the military can lead to appreciation of the guidelines from the American Dental Association and the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, which suggest alternatives to opioid prescribing for surgical procedures, particularly for tooth extractions.

State-level variation in opioid prescribing after knee arthroscopy among the opioid-naïve in the USA: 2015–2019

ObjectiveIt has been established that most patients prescribed opioids after minor surgery have tablets left over, better understanding the variation in opioid prescribing and variation in dosage of the prescription...