J U LY 2 0 1 6 O U T P A T I E N TS U R G E R Y. N E T 5 3
Does that create a potential problem?
There is some evidence suggesting that extra opioids, perhaps from post-op pre-
scriptions, can be diverted or used inappropriately by patients after their pain
has ended. The practice of giving standard prescriptions of exorbitant amounts
of moderate- to high-strength opioids has to stop.
But opioids are still valuable options
in pain management, right?
Yes, they definitely have a role to play. The idea is not to scare practitioners
away from prescribing opioids, but to enable them to provide suitable limited
opioid prescriptions based on the patient and surgery type. However, anesthesi-
ologists should be aware of the epidemic surrounding the over-prescribing of
opioids and take steps to mitigate inappropriate discharge prescriptions. Patient
education is also important. A center in Canada provides patients with pam-
phlets on proper use of opioids and has realized promising quality improvement
results. That's a tool that could be incorporated in any outpatient facility.
OSM
Dr. Alam (asim.alam@sunnybrook.ca) is a staff anesthesiologist and transfusion medi-
cine specialist at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre and an assistant professor in the
department of anesthesia at the University of Toronto. He co-authored a study in the
January 2016 Canadian Journal of Anesthesia (osmag.net/gvYTJ4) about the prescription
opioid epidemic.