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Opioid Disposal in Patients Undergoing Total Joint Replacement Utilizing a Carbon-Based Home Medication Disposal
Tina Bobo1, Kathleen Fitzgerald2, Kathryn Wdowiarz1
1Edward-Elmhurst Healthcare, 801 South Washington Street, Naperville, Illinois.
Aims:
The purpose of the pilot study was to determine if an educational program on opioid safety and disposal during a preoperative joint replacement class would increase the frequency of disposal of unused opioids with a disposal pouch at the end of the episode of care in patients undergoing joint replacement. A secondary aim was to quantify the milligrams of morphine equivalents prescribed, used, disposed, and remaining in joint replacement patients.
Design:
The study design is quasi-experimental.
Methods:
A medication disposal pouch was provided to all study subjects preoperatively. A 2-minute opioid safety and disposal instruction and demonstration of the use of the disposal pouch was performed at a weekly preoperative joint replacement class which was optional for subjects to attend. A nine-question phone survey was then administered to subjects postoperatively.
Results:
One hundred and four patients completed the study survey. Of the subjects who attended the class and had opioids remaining, 74% disposed of their opioids compared with 36% that did not attend the class (p = .005).
Conclusions:
Provision of a disposal pouch in combination with a live educational program on opioid safety and disposal increased the rate of disposal of unused opioids in a postoperative population.
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