S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 8 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y. N E T • 2 7
The following pill counts are for opioid-naïve patients who'll receive
hydrocodone, codeine, tramadol, oxycodone and hydromorphone.
Select one type of opioid from either column and prescribe the cor-
responding number of pills based on the type of procedure. Patients
who say they need more pills than the recommended amount should
be seen by a doctor before prescriptions are refilled.
These recommendations are based on patient-reported use of opi-
oids from the Michigan Surgical Quality Collaborative and published
research. We plan on adding more procedures as we gather more
data about how many pills patients actually use after specific types of
procedures. For up-to-date recommendations, visit opioidprescrib-
ing.info. Check the site later this month for pill counts for hip and
knee replacement patients.
— Michael Englesbe, MD, FACS
Help Your Docs Write for Fewer Opioids
EXACT COUNT
