Implementing and Evaluating a Multihospital Standardized Opioid Curriculum for Surgical Providers

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Surgical Practice
• Pain Management

Background:

• Providers demonstrate knowledge gaps in opioid medication, dosing, and patient management.
• Optimal prescribing and patient monitoring require specific knowledge of patient characteristics.
• Existing educational strategies may not adequately address these critical deficits.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify knowledge deficits among surgical providers concerning opioid prescribing and management.
• To evaluate the impact of a focused educational intervention on provider knowledge and practice.
• To assess changes in provider confidence and intended practice following the educational session.

Main Methods:

• An observational prospective study design was employed.
• A 75-minute educational session was delivered to surgical providers.
• Paired pre- and post-education knowledge assessments were administered anonymously to measure knowledge gain.

Main Results:

• Average assessment scores improved from 59% pre-education to 68% post-education.
• Post-intervention, providers reported enhanced comfort in prescribing opioid medications.
• Ninety-five percent of participants indicated the curriculum would influence their clinical practice.

Conclusions:

• Significant knowledge gaps exist among surgical providers regarding optimal opioid prescribing and management.
• A brief, multicenter educational initiative effectively increased provider knowledge and prescribing confidence.
• Educational interventions can be broadly implemented to successfully decrease knowledge gaps in opioid management.