Opioid Reduction Program Cuts Discharge Prescriptions by 67%

A targeted opioid stewardship initiative significantly reduces opioid prescriptions at discharge for elective surgeries, improving patient safety.

• Median discharge prescription size dropped from 5 oxycodone pills to 0, a 67.1% reduction, saving over 24,000 pills.
• Successful in 14 out of 15 procedures, with the median post-implementation prescription being zero for 10 of them.

This program enhances the likelihood of opioid-free discharges and lowers the risk of prescription refills, crucial for effective pain management and patient care.

• Patients discharged with an opioid prescription were 3.9 times more likely to need a refill compared to those discharged opioid-free.