A Retrospective Review of Opioid Prescribing Practices for At-Risk Pediatric Populations Undergoing Ambulatory Surgery

OBJECTIVE Pediatric patients with sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) and obesity are at risk for opioid-induced respiratory depression. Although monitoring in the inpatient setting allows for early recognition of opioid-related adverse events, there is far less vigilance after ambulatory surgery as patients are discharged home. Guidelines for proper opioid dosing in these pediatric subsets have not been established. We sought to determine if at-risk children were more likely to receive doses of opioids outside the recommended range. METHODS Baseline opioid prescribing data for all outpatient surgery patients receiving an opioid prescription between January 2019 and June 2020 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients with SDB or obesity were identified. To obtain more information about prescribing practices, we analyzed patient demographics, size descriptors used for calculations, and prescription characteristics (dose, duration, and prescribing surgical service). RESULTS A total of 4674 patients received an opioid prescription after outpatient surgery. Of those, 173 patients had SDB and 128 were obese. Surgical subspecialties rendering most of the opioid prescriptions included otolaryngology and orthopedics. Obese patients were more likely (64%) to be prescribed opioids using ideal weight at higher mg/kg doses (>0.05 mg/kg; 83.3%; p < 0.0001). When providers used actual body weight, lower mg/kg doses were more likely to be used (53.7%; p < 0.0001). No prescriptions used lean body mass. CONCLUSIONS Overweight/obese children were more likely to receive opioid doses outside the recommended range. Variability in prescribing patterns demonstrates the need for more detailed guidelines to minimize the risk of opioid-induced respiratory complications in vulnerable pediatric populations.

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Trends in Postoperative Opioid Prescribing in Outpatient Pediatric Surgery

Pain Medicine ◽

10.1093/pm/pny284 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 20 (9) ◽

pp. 1789-1795

Author(s):

Gabrielle C Donohoe ◽

Bingqing Zhang ◽

Janell L Mensinger ◽

Ronald S Litman

Keyword(s):

Incidence Rate ◽

Outpatient Surgery ◽

Private Insurance ◽

Duration Of Treatment ◽

Opioid Prescription ◽

Opioid Prescribing ◽

Dose Number ◽

Race Ethnicity ◽

To Receive ◽

Directional Trend

Abstract Objective To determine trends in opioid prescribing for home use after pediatric outpatient surgery. Design Retrospective analysis of a de-identified database. Setting Multispecialty children’s hospital and freestanding surgery centers. Patients, Participants A total of 65,190 encounters of pediatric outpatient surgeries from 2013 through 2017 for nine different surgical specialties. Patients in the cardiothoracic service and nonpainful procedures were excluded. Main Outcome Measures. Incidence rate of prescribing, dose, number of doses available (i.e., duration of therapy), and maximum weight-based home opioid availability from 2013 to 2017. Additional independent variables included sex, age, weight, race/ethnicity, insurance type (private vs public), and surgical service. Results The incidence rate of receiving a take-home opioid prescription at discharge ranged from 18% to 21% between 2013 and 2017, with no clear directional trend. Among patients prescribed opioids, however, the maximum available take-home dose steadily declined from 2013 through 2017 (P < 0.001). This was due to both a decrease in the number of doses prescribed (i.e., duration of treatment) and, beginning in 2015, the amount per dose. Females were more likely to receive an opioid than males, and patients with public insurance were more likely to receive an opioid than those with private insurance. Opioid prescribing was more likely in patients who did not disclose their ethnicity and those of ethnic minority compared with white patients (all P < 0.0001). Conclusions The rate of receiving a take-home opioid prescription and the dose prescribed remained stable from 2013 to 2017, but the duration of treatment steadily declined, and beginning in 2015, the amount per dose also decreased. Certain subgroups of patients were more likely to be prescribed opioids and will require further investigation and confirmation.

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Current Opioid Prescribing Patterns after Microdirect Laryngoscopy

Annals of Otology Rhinology & Laryngology ◽

10.1177/0003489419877912 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 129 (2) ◽

pp. 142-148 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Molly N. Huston ◽

Rouya Kamizi ◽

Tanya K. Meyer ◽

Albert L. Merati ◽

John Paul Giliberto

Keyword(s):

The United States ◽

Opioid Abuse ◽

Prescribing Patterns ◽

Opioid Analgesia ◽

Opioid Use ◽

Prescribing Practices ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Opioid Prescription ◽

Opioid Prescribing

Background: The prevalence of opioid abuse has become epidemic in the United States. Microdirect laryngoscopy (MDL) is a common otolaryngological procedure, yet prescribing practices for opioids following this operation are not well characterized. Objective: To characterize current opioid-prescribing patterns among otolaryngologists performing MDL. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of otolaryngologists at a national laryngology meeting. Results: Fifty-eight of 205 physician registrants (response rate 28%) completed the survey. Fifty-nine percent of respondents were fellowship-trained in laryngology. Respondents performed an average of 13.3 MDLs per month. Thirty-four percent of surgeons prescribe opioids for over two-thirds of their MDLs, while only 7% of surgeons never prescribe opioids. Eighty-eight percent of surgeons prescribed a combination opioid and acetaminophen compound, hydrocodone being the most common opioid component. Many surgeons prescribe non-opioid analgesics as well, with 70% and 84% of surgeons recommending acetaminophen and ibuprofen after MDL respectively. When opioids were prescribed, patient preference, difficult exposure and history of opioid use were the most influential patient factors. Concerns of opioid abuse, the physician role in the opioid crisis, and literature about postoperative non-opioid analgesia were also underlying themes in influencing opioid prescription patterns after MDL. Conclusions: In this study, over 90% of practicing physicians surveyed are prescribing opioids after MDL, though many are also prescribing non-opioid analgesia as well. Further studies should be completed to investigate the needs of patients following MDL in order to allow physicians to selectively and appropriately prescribe opioid analgesia postoperatively.

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Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Discharge Opioid Prescribing From a Hospital Medicine Service

Journal of Hospital Medicine ◽

10.12788/jhm.3667 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol September 2021 - Online First ◽

Author(s):

Aksharananda Rambachan ◽

Margaret C Fang ◽

Priya Prasad ◽

Nicholas Iverson

Keyword(s):

General Medicine ◽

Prescribing Patterns ◽

Opioid Prescription ◽

Opioid Prescribing ◽

Asian Patients ◽

Medicine Service ◽

Black Patients ◽

To Receive ◽

Population Rate ◽

White Patients

BACKGROUND: Differential opioid prescribing patterns have been reported in non-White patient populations. However, these disparities have not been well described among hospitalized medical inpatients. OBJECTIVE: To describe differences in opioid prescribing patterns among inpatients discharged from the general medicine service based on race/ethnicity. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: For this retrospective study, we performed a multivariable logistic regression for patient race/ethnicity and whether patients received an opioid prescription at discharge and a negative binomial regression for days of opioids prescribed at discharge. The study included all 10,953 inpatients discharged from the general medicine service from June 2012 to November 2018 at University of California San Francisco Medical Center who received opioids during the last 24 hours of their hospitalization. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: We examined two primary outcomes: whether a patient received an opioid prescription at discharge, and, for patients prescribed opioids, the number of days dispensed. RESULTS: Compared with White patients, Black patients were less likely to receive an opioid prescription at discharge (predicted population rate of 47.6% vs 50.7%; average marginal effect [AME], −3.1%; 95% CI, −5.5% to −0.8%). Asian patients were more likely to receive an opioid prescription on discharge (predicted population rate, 55.6% vs 50.7%; AME, +4.9; 95% CI, 1.5%-8.3%). We also found that Black patients received a shorter duration of opioid days compared with White patients (predicted days of opioids on discharge, 15.7 days vs 17.8 days; AME, −2.1 days; 95% CI, −3.3 to −0.9). CONCLUSION: Black patients were less likely to receive opioids and received shorter courses at discharge compared with White patients, adjusting for covariates. Asian patients were the most likely to receive an opioid prescription.

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P113: Examining emergency physicians’ self-reported opioid prescribing practices for the treatment of acute pain: A Newfoundland perspective

CJEM ◽

10.1017/cem.2020.319 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 22 (S1) ◽

pp. S105-S106

Author(s):

P. Doran ◽

G. Sheppard ◽

B. Metcalfe

Keyword(s):

Emergency Department ◽

Acute Pain ◽

Oral Morphine ◽

Prescribing Patterns ◽

Evidence Based ◽

Emergency Physicians ◽

Prescribing Practices ◽

Opioid Prescribing ◽

Ensure Patient Safety ◽

Evidence Based Guidelines

Introduction: Canadians are the second largest consumers of prescription opioids per capita in the world. Emergency physicians tend to prescribe stronger and larger quantities of opioids, while family physicians write the most opioid prescriptions overall. These practices have been shown to precipitate future dependence, toxicity and the need for hospitalization. Despite this emerging evidence, there is a paucity of research on emergency physicians’ opioid prescribing practices in Canada. The objectives of this study were to describe our local emergency physicians’ opioid prescribing patterns both in the emergency department and upon discharge, and to explore factors that impact their prescribing decisions. Methods: Emergency physicians from two urban, adult emergency departments in St. John's, Newfoundland were anonymously surveyed using a web-based survey tool. All 42 physicians were invited to participate via email during the six-week study period and reminders were sent at weeks two and four. Results: A total of 21 participants responded to the survey. Over half of respondents (57.14%) reported that they “often” prescribe opioids for the treatment of acute pain in the emergency department, and an equal number of respondents reported doing so “sometimes” at discharge. Eighty-five percent of respondents reported most commonly prescribing intravenous morphine for acute pain in the emergency department, and over thirty-five percent reported most commonly prescribing oral morphine upon discharge. Patient age and risk of misuse were the most frequently cited factors that influenced respondents’ prescribing decisions. Only 4 of the 22 respondents reported using evidence-based guidelines to tailor their opioid prescribing practices, while an overwhelming majority (80.95%) believe there is a need for evidence-based opioid prescribing guidelines for the treatment of acute pain. Sixty percent of respondents completed additional training in safe opioid prescribing, yet less than half of respondents (42.86%) felt they could help to mitigate the opioid crisis by prescribing fewer opioids in the emergency department. Conclusion: Emergency physicians frequently prescribe opioids for the treatment of acute pain and new evidence suggests that this practice can lead to significant morbidity. While further research is needed to better understand emergency physicians’ opioid prescribing practices, our findings support the need for evidence-based guidelines for the treatment of acute pain to ensure patient safety.

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Opioid Prescribing Patterns for Low Back Pain Among Commercially Insured Children

Neurosurgery ◽

10.1093/neuros/nyz310_203 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 66 (Supplement_1) ◽

Author(s):

Tej D Azad ◽

Michael D Harries ◽

Daniel Vail ◽

Yi Jonathan Zhang ◽

John K Ratliff

Keyword(s):

Low Back Pain ◽

Back Pain ◽

Pediatric Patients ◽

Pediatric Population ◽

Prescribing Patterns ◽

Low Back ◽

Age Group ◽

Newly Diagnosed ◽

Opioid Prescription ◽

Opioid Prescribing

Abstract INTRODUCTION Low back pain (LBP) may affect up to 20% of the pediatric population. No specific guidelines exist regarding pharmacotherapy for acute LBP in the pediatric population. Given this observation and the lack of data available regarding pharmacotherapy for pediatric LBP, we sought to characterize patterns of opioid prescribing in the pediatric population. METHODS We used a national database to identify pediatric patients (age 5-17) with newly diagnosed with LBP between 2008 and 2015 who did not have a red flag diagnosis, had not received an opioid prescription in the 6 mo prior to diagnosis, and had 12-mo of continuous enrollment after diagnosis. We used logistic regression to model the association between sex, geographic region, categorical age, and our primary outcome, receipt of an opioid prescription in the year following diagnosis. RESULTS Our sample included 268 228 opioid-naïve pediatric patients diagnosed with LBP between 2008 and 2015. We observed that 47 631 (17.8%) patients received physical therapy, 29 903 (11.2%) patients received chiropractic manipulative therapy, 658 (0.25%) patients received epidural steroid injection, and 281 (0.10%) patients received surgery. A total of 35 274 (13.2%) pediatric LBP patients were prescribed opioids within 12 mo from their diagnosis. Opioid prescribing decreased in all age groups over the study period age group 5 to 9 decreased from 4.2% to 2.7%, age group 10 to 14 decreased from 10.3% to 7.7%, and age group 15 to 18 yr decreased from 20.9% to 17.1%. Female pediatric patients were more likely than male patients to receive an opioid prescription (OR, 1.12, P < .0001). Patients ages 10 to 14 (OR, 2.89, P < .0001) and 15 to 18 (OR, 6.98, P < .0001) were significantly more likely to be prescribed opioids compared to patients in the youngest age group. CONCLUSION To our knowledge, we report the first observational cohort study of opioids and LBP in the pediatric population. Our findings indicate that opioids are being used for newly diagnosed LBP and receipt of opioids are associated with patient demographic factors.

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Standardizing Opioid Prescribing Practices for Cancer-Related Pain Via a Novel Interactive Documentation Template at a Public Hospital

Journal of Oncology Practice ◽

10.1200/jop.18.00789 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 15 (11) ◽

pp. e989-e996 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Maliha Nusrat ◽

Amanda Parkes ◽

Ryan Kieser ◽

Bei Hu ◽

Dalia Farhat ◽

...

Keyword(s):

At Risk ◽

Pain Management ◽

Cancer Pain ◽

Systematic Approach ◽

Opioid Misuse ◽

Prescribing Practices ◽

Cancer Pain Management ◽

Opioid Prescribing ◽

Community Oncology ◽

Ensure Patient Safety

PURPOSE: Opioid misuse during cancer pain management places patients at risk for harm and physicians for legal liability. Identifying and monitoring patients who are at risk is challenging given the lack of validated clinical tools and evidence-based guidelines. In the current study, we aimed to standardize opioid prescribing practices at a community oncology clinic to help ensure patient safety and physician compliance with Texas state regulations. METHODS: We used the Plan-Do-Study-Act methodology. In the planning phase, current practices of assessing opioid efficacy, toxicity, and misuse were determined by surveying clinic physicians and reviewing patients’ charts. We developed a new standardized process that incorporated published literature, the Texas Administrative Code, and expert opinion. Two interactive documentation templates (SmartPhrases) were designed to implement the standardized process. The intervention was studied using repeat physician surveys and chart reviews, which prompted action for refinement and sustainability. RESULTS: At baseline, 9% of providers followed a systematic approach to prescribing opioids and 86% expressed an interest in process standardization. We noted high interprovider variability in the opioid risk stratification and refill process. At 2 months and 6 months postimplementation, provider satisfaction with the intervention was 83% and 75%, whereas compliance with SmartPhrase use was 70% and 54%, respectively. The frequency of state database check improved from 36% to 94% at 6 months. Improvement was also noted in assessment and documentation of baseline risk, chemical coping, and toxicity. CONCLUSION: We implemented a systematic approach for assessing opioid misuse, toxicity, and efficacy during cancer pain management at a community oncology clinic. The approach resulted in notable improvement in provider practices and documentation compliance.

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Reduction in Hospital System Opioid Prescribing for Acute Pain Through Default Prescription Preference Settings: Pre–Post Study

Journal of Medical Internet Research ◽

10.2196/24360 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 23 (4) ◽

pp. e24360

Author(s):

Benjamin Heritier Slovis ◽

Jeffrey M Riggio ◽

Melanie Girondo ◽

Cara Martino ◽

Bracken Babula ◽

...

Keyword(s):

The United States ◽

Prescribing Patterns ◽

Duration Of Treatment ◽

Opioid Prescription ◽

Hospital System ◽

Opioid Prescribing ◽

Before And After ◽

Control And Prevention ◽

Prescribing Practice ◽

Quasi Experimental

Background The United States is in an opioid epidemic. Passive decision support in the electronic health record (EHR) through opioid prescription presets may aid in curbing opioid dependence. Objective The objective of this study is to determine whether modification of opioid prescribing presets in the EHR could change prescribing patterns for an entire hospital system. Methods We performed a quasi-experimental retrospective pre–post analysis of a 24-month period before and after modifications to our EHR’s opioid prescription presets to match Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines. We included all opioid prescriptions prescribed at our institution for nonchronic pain. Our modifications to the EHR include (1) making duration of treatment for an opioid prescription mandatory, (2) adding a quick button for 3 days’ duration while removing others, and (3) setting the default quantity of all oral opioid formulations to 10 tablets. We examined the quantity in tablets, duration in days, and proportion of prescriptions greater than 90 morphine milligram equivalents/day for our hospital system, and compared these values before and after our intervention for effect. Results There were 78,246 prescriptions included in our study written on 30,975 unique patients. There was a significant reduction for all opioid prescriptions pre versus post in (1) the overall median quantity of tablets dispensed (54 [IQR 40-120] vs 42 [IQR 18-90]; P<.001), (2) median duration of treatment (10.5 days [IQR 5.0-30] vs 7.5 days [IQR 3.0-30]; P<.001), and (3) proportion of prescriptions greater than 90 morphine milligram equivalents/day (27.46% [10,704/38,976; 95% CI 27.02%-27.91%] vs 22.86% [8979/39,270; 95% CI 22.45%-23.28%]; P<.001). Conclusions Modifications of opioid prescribing presets in the EHR can improve prescribing practice patterns. Reducing duration and quantity of opioid prescriptions could reduce the risk of dependence and overdose.

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3377 A cross-sectional analysis of opioid prescribing patterns among gynecologic oncologists using Medicare fee-for service provider utilization & payment data

Journal of Clinical and Translational Science ◽

10.1017/cts.2019.74 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 3 (s1) ◽

pp. 31-31

Author(s):

David Samuel ◽

Devin Miller ◽

Sara Isani ◽

Dennis Kuo ◽

Gregory Gressel

Keyword(s):

National Level ◽

Adverse Outcomes ◽

Prescribing Patterns ◽

Fee For Service ◽

Years Of Experience ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Opioid Prescription ◽

Exact Test ◽

Opioid Prescribing ◽

National Medical

OBJECTIVES/SPECIFIC AIMS: Opioids are the first-line treatment for moderate to severe cancer-related pain. Increased awareness of opioid prescription misuse and adverse outcomes has prompted statements on their use from multiple national medical groups. In this study we characterize national-level opioid prescription patterns among gynecologic oncologists treating Medicare beneficiaries. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) database was used to access Medicare Part D beneficiary data (2016). All available opioid claims prescribed by gynecologic oncologists were identified. Medication type, prescription length and other prescribing factors were recorded. Physician demographics were obtained from departmental websites and accrediting bodies. Physicians with <10 opioid claims are not included in the CMS database. Bivariate statistical analysis including chi-squared, Fisher’s exact test and Wilcoxon rank-sum test were performed to compare variables with threshold for significance set at p<0.05. Linear regression modeling was also performed to examine association of gender with number of opioids prescribed. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: A total of 494 board-certified gynecologic oncologists were included in this analysis. In 2016, gynecologic oncologists wrote 23,584 opioid prescriptions for 267,824 days of treatment (average of 9.24 prescribed days per claim). The most commonly prescribed opioid was oxycodone/acetaminophen (41%). Male physicians had significantly more opioid prescription claims than females (p<0.01) including after adjusting for differences in years of experience. The majority of physicians had 11-50 opioid prescription claims (68%). A minority were high prescribing physicians with >100 opioid claims (11%). Of these, the overwhelming majority were male (82%) and late career (46%, >15 years since board certification). Physicians in the South had the greatest number of opioid prescription claims and significantly more than physicians in the Northeast, who had the fewest (p<0.01). Mean number of opioid claims increased with increasing years of experience (p<0.05). DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE OF IMPACT: Among gynecologic oncologists, there were gender-based, regional and experience-related variations in opioid prescribing in the Medicare population in 2016. Further longitudinal studies are required to elucidate secular trends in opioid prescription practice.

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Telehealth acceptability and opioid prescribing patterns of providers of painful chronic diseases during the COVID-19 pandemic: A survey of sickle cell providers

Journal of Opioid Management ◽

10.5055/jom.2021.0683 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 17 (6) ◽

pp. 489-497

Author(s):

Martha O. Kenney, MD ◽

Benjamin Becerra, DrPH; MBA, MPH, MS ◽

Sean Alexander Beatty, BA ◽

Wally R. Smith, MD

Keyword(s):

Chronic Diseases ◽

Sickle Cell ◽

Online Survey ◽

Management Practices ◽

Risk Mitigation ◽

The United States ◽

Prescribing Patterns ◽

Prescribing Practices ◽

Opioid Prescribing ◽

The Impact

Objective: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has led to a rapid transition to telehealth services. It is unclear how subspecialists managing painful chronic diseases—such as sickle cell disease (SCD), an inherited hemoglobinopathy with significant disparities in access and outcomes—have viewed the transition to telehealth or altered their pain management practices. This study elicits the views of sickle cell providers regarding their transition to telehealth and their opioid prescribing patterns during the COVID-19 pandemic.Design: An anonymous online survey was sent to eligible sickle cell providers.Setting: Comprehensive sickle cell centers and/or clinics across the United States. Participants: Physicians and advanced practice providers providing care to SCD patients.Main outcome measures: Respondents answered questions regarding their (1) views of telehealth compared to in-person encounters and (2) opioid prescribing practices during the early months of the pandemic.Results: Of the 130 eligible participants, 53 respondents from 35 different sickle cell centers completed at least 90 percent of the survey. Respondents reported a significant increase in telehealth encounters for routine and acute appointments (mean difference and standard deviation: 57.6 ± 31.9 percent, p 0.001 and 24.4 ± 34.1 percent, p 0.001, respectively) since COVID-19. The overwhelming majority of respondents reported no changes in their opioid prescribing patterns since COVID-19, despite increased telehealth use. Only a minority coprescribed naloxone as a risk mitigation strategy.Conclusion: The rapid uptake of telehealth has not suppressed ambulatory providers’ prescribing of opioids for SCD. Studies assessing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and telehealth on opioid prescribing practices in other painful chronic diseases are needed to ensure health equity for vulnerable pain patients.

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