title: Changes in Provider Prescribing Patterns After Implementation of an Emergency Department Prescription Opioid Policy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Prescription opioid-associated abuse and overdose is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States. Opioid prescriptions generated from emergency departments (EDs) nationwide have increased dramatically over the past 20 years, and opioid-related overdose deaths have become an epidemic, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Our aim was to determine the effectiveness of implementing a prescription policy for opioids on overall opioid prescribing patterns in a hospital ED.
  
  
  METHODS
  The ED provider group of an academic, non-university-affiliated urban hospital with 23,000 annual patient visits agreed to opioid prescribing guidelines for chronic pain with the goal of limiting prescriptions that may be used for abuse or diversion. These guidelines were instituted in the ED through collaborative staff meetings and educational and training sessions. We used the electronic medical record to analyze the number and type of opioid discharge prescriptions during the study period from 2006-2014, before and after the prescribing guidelines were instituted in the ED.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The number of patients discharged with a prescription for opioids decreased 39.6% (25.7% to 15.6%; absolute decrease 10.2%; 95% confidence interval [CI] 9.6-10.7; p < 0.001) after the intervention. The improvements were sustained 2.5 years after the intervention. Decreases were seen in all major opioids (hydrocodone, oxycodone, hydromorphone, and codeine). The number of pills per prescription also decreased 14.8%, from 19.5% to 16.6% (absolute decrease 2.9; 95% CI 2.6-3.1; p < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Implementation of an ED prescription opioid policy was associated with a significant reduction in total opioid prescriptions and in the number of pills per prescription.
authors.affiliation: Virginia Mason Medical Center, Seattle, Washington.
authors.forename: Scott R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Osborn
authors.affiliation: Virginia Mason Medical Center, Seattle, Washington.
authors.forename: Julianna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Virginia Mason Medical Center, Seattle, Washington.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.affiliation: Virginia Mason Medical Center, Seattle, Washington.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vasilyadis
authors.affiliation: Virginia Mason Medical Center, Seattle, Washington.
authors.forename: C Craig
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Blackmore
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003061:Codeine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006853:Hydrocodone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004091:Hydromorphone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016134:Organizational Policy; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D058996:Quality Improvement; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D006853:Hydrocodone; D004091:Hydromorphone; D003061:Codeine
keywords: chronic pain; narcotic; opioid; overdose; prescription policy