Policy changes are needed to further reduce perioperative opioid use

Area of Science:

• Anesthesiology
• Pain Management
• Health Policy

Background:

• Perioperative opioid prescriptions are a significant risk factor for long-term opioid use and misuse.
• Current US initiatives focus on prescribing patterns and quality measures, but policy gaps hinder effectiveness.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify policy gaps and propose expanded considerations for effective perioperative opioid-sparing pain management (OSPM).
• To advocate for patient-centered approaches and improved access to nonopioid pain management alternatives.

Main Methods:

• Review of current policies and initiatives addressing perioperative opioid use.
• Analysis of potential policy enhancements including patient risk screening, nonopioid pain management coverage, clinician education, and research funding.

Main Results:

• Policy gaps limit current interventions for minimizing perioperative opioid dispensing.
• Expanded policies should include patient risk screening, nonopioid pain management preferences, and broader coverage for multimodal OSPM.
• Clinician education and integration into clinical pathways can increase OSPM utilization.

Conclusions:

• Multimodal opioid-sparing pain management (OSPM) requires policy expansion, including patient-focused screening and financial accessibility.
• Formalized clinician education and research on OSPM clinical and cost-efficacy are essential for advancing its use.
• Development of quality measures for perioperative OSPM is needed to reflect utilization and outcomes.