Effectiveness of organisational interventions on the appropriate use of
opioids for non-cancer pain upon hospital discharge: A systematic review
Abstract
Aim: To summarise the effectiveness of organisational interventions on
appropriate opioid use for non-cancer pain upon hospital discharge.
Methods: A systematic search was conducted on six electronic databases
by two independent reviewers. We included original research articles
reporting on quantitative outcomes of organisational interventions
targeting appropriate opioid use on hospital discharge. Quality
assessment was performed by two independent reviewers. The protocol for
this review was prospectively registered on PROSPERO (ID:
CRD42020156104). Results: Out of 173 full texts assessed for
eligibility, 43 were included in this review. The majority of studies
had a moderate to serious risk of bias (33 out of 43). Most of the
studies implemented a multifaceted organisational intervention (16
studies). Other interventions included guideline implementation,
prescriber education and default opioid prescribing quantity changes in
electronic medical records. Multiple studies found that the
dissemination of patient-specific and procedure-specific guidelines
reduced the quantity of opioids prescribed by 44-57%. Prescriber
education provided with feedback was implemented in four studies and
resulted in a 33-44% decrease in prescribing rates. Lowering the
default quantities in the electronic medical records produced a 40%
decrease in opioids prescribed in one study. Conclusion: Guideline
implementation, prescriber education and default opioid prescribing
quantity changes all appear effective in improving the appropriate use
of opioids on hospital discharge. However, the extent of reduction of
opioid prescribing upon hospital discharge after the implementation of
multifaceted intervention strategies appears similar to that of simpler
interventions which require fewer resources.