Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 9, 2026

Acupoint Needle-Embedding Combined with Ironing Therapy for Postoperative Pain After Anal Surgery
Published on: June 23, 2023
General surgeons' perspectives on post-discharge opioid prescribing: A qualitative study
Makena Pook1, Tahereh Najafi Ghezeljeh2, Hiba Elhaj2
1Department of Surgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada; Centre for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada; Perioperative Care and Outcomes Research (PCOR) Lab, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
Background:
Understanding surgeons' perspectives on post-discharge opioid prescribing is crucial for optimizing pain management while mitigating opioid-related harms.
Objective:
To describe the perspectives of North American general surgeons towards opioid prescribing after hospital discharge.
Methods:
This qualitative study involved semi-structured interviews with 30 general surgeons in the USA and Canada. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and continued until thematic saturation. Data were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis.
Results:
Three themes were derived: motives for relying on opioids, motives for opioid minimization, and strategies for tailoring analgesia. Reliance on opioids was motivated by prescribing culture, convenience, patients' expectations, apprehension towards non-opioid analgesics, and limited pain management expertise. Motivations for opioid-minimization included cultural shift, non-opioids' effectiveness, policy, and emerging research. Strategies for tailoring prescribing included addressing patient expectations and post-discharge follow-up.
Conclusions:
Barriers to evidence-based prescribing, including tradition, convenience, and lacking expertise, should be addressed to optimize analgesia and mitigate opioid-related harms.
More Related Videos
07:14A Quantitative Sensory Testing Paradigm to Obtain Measures of Pain Processing in Patients Undergoing Breast Cancer Surgery
Published on: January 18, 2018
08:21Utilizing a 3D Printed Laparoscopic Nissen Fundoplication Model to Shorten a Resident's Learning Curve
Published on: August 15, 2025
Related Concept Videos
Opioid Analgesics: Synthetic and Semisynthetic Opioids
Opioid Analgesics: Morphine and Other Natural Cogeners
Analgesia and Pain Management
Appendicitis-II: Diagnostic Studies and Management
Diagnosing Appendicitis
It requires a multifaceted approach, starting with a detailed physical examination to pinpoint the location and nature of the pain and identify any associated symptoms. Laboratory tests play a crucial role. A complete Blood Count (CBC) typically reveals leukocytosis (an increased number of...
Peripheral Artery Disease V: Postoperative Nursing Management
Endoscopic Procedures IV: Sigmoidoscopy and Laproscopy
Sigmoidoscopy
Sigmoidoscopy is a diagnostic procedure that uses a flexible sigmoidoscope equipped with a light source and camera to examine the rectum and sigmoid colon. The procedure involves inserting the tube through the anus...