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Opioid Prescribing Patterns of Optometrists in the Medicare Part D Database
Stephen C Dryden, Holly A O'Malley1, Lindsey R Adams2
1Veterans Administration Medical Center, Memphis, Tennessee.
Summary
Most optometrists do not prescribe opioids, with a declining trend observed between 2013 and 2017. When prescribed, opioid prescriptions by optometrists were infrequent, indicating limited use in eye care.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Pain Management
- Health Services Research
Background:
- Opioid prescribing patterns among healthcare professionals are under scrutiny.
- Understanding the role of optometrists in opioid prescription is essential for comprehensive pain management strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the prevalence and trends of opioid prescriptions issued by optometrists within the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Part D database from 2013 to 2017.
- To examine the prescribing habits of U.S. optometrists concerning opioids.
Main Methods:
- A retrospective observational cohort study design was employed.
- Data were extracted from the CMS Part D database for optometrists prescribing opioids between 2013 and 2017.
- Internal review board approval was obtained prior to the study.
Main Results:
- An average of 26,477 optometrists were in the CMS database annually between 2013 and 2017.
- Approximately 5.9% of these optometrists prescribed opioids, averaging 5.9 prescriptions per year.
- Optometrists who wrote over 10 opioid prescriptions averaged 24.2 annually, with opioid prescriptions constituting 7% of their total yearly prescriptions.
Conclusions:
- The majority of optometrists do not prescribe opioids.
- A significant decrease in both the number of optometrists prescribing opioids and the total number of opioid prescriptions was observed from 2013 to 2017.
- Further research into optometrists' opioid prescribing practices is recommended to understand patient population-specific pain management needs.
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