Statewide Implementation of Postoperative Opioid Prescribing Guidelines
Evidence-based prescribing guidelines reduced postoperative opioid prescription size across a statewide population without negatively affecting patient satisfaction or pain
Despite the reductions in prescription size and opioid use, there were no clinically important changes in satisfaction or pain scores
Mean prescription size decreased by 8 pills after the guidelines were released and opioid consumption also decreased by 3 pills
Vu JV, Howard RA, Gunaseelan V, Brummett CM, Waljee JF, Englesbe MJ. Statewide Implementation of Postoperative Opioid Prescribing Guidelines. N Engl J Med. 2019;381(7):680-682. doi:10.1056/NEJMc1905045