Reducing Disability Durations and Medical Costs for Patients With a Carpal Tunnel Release Surgery Through the Use of Opioid Prescribing Guidelines. Issue 12 (December 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Gaspar, Fraser W.; Kownacki, Roman; Zaidel, Catherine S.; Conlon, Craig F.; Hegmann, Kurt T.
• Is Part Of: Journal of occupational and environmental medicine. Volume 59:Issue 12(2017)
• Publication Date: 2017-12
• Subjects: Medicine, Industrial -- Periodicals; Environmental health -- Periodicals; Occupational Medicine -- Periodicals; Environmental Medicine -- Periodicals; Environmental health; Medicine, Industrial; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 616.9803
• DOI: 10.1097/JOM.0000000000001168
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1076-2752

Abstract

Abstract : Objective: The impacts of compliance with opioid prescribing guidelines on disability durations and medical costs for carpal tunnel release (CTR) were examined. Methods: Using a dataset of insured US employees, opioid prescriptions for 7840 short-term disability cases with a CTR procedure were identified. Opioids prescriptions were compared with the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM)'s opioid prescribing guidelines for postoperative, acute pain, which recommends no more than a 5-day supply, a maximum morphine equivalent dose of 50 mg/day, and only short-acting opioids. Results: Most cases (70%) were prescribed an opioid and 29% were prescribed an opioid contrary to ACOEM's guidelines. Cases prescribed an opioid contrary to guidelines had disability durations 1.9 days longer and medical costs $422 higher than cases prescribed an opioid according to guidelines. Conclusions: The use of opioid prescribing guidelines may reduce CTR disability durations and medical costs. Abstract : Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text