A profile of therapeutic opioid dependent persons in Queensland

This paper describes the philosophy and practice of the Drugs of Dependence Unit, Queensland Health, with regard to the collection and evaluation of dangerous drug prescription data. Using patient information extracted from the Monitoring of Dangerous Drugs Computer System and patient files at the unit, the paper presents a profile of 335 therapeutic opioid dependent persons who constituted the entire therapeutic caseload of the unit as at June 1992. The data include medical history, drug details, initial and final diagnosis, an escalation factor, and prognosis. Profile findings detail the prescribing patterns of medical practitioners and highlight the importance of continuous monitoring and review in the care and management of therapeutic opioid dependent persons.