Trending: The Opioid Free Emergency Department

The epidemic of opioid abuse in the USA is undeniable. Prescriptions of opioid pain relievers have grown to approximately 207 million prescriptions in 2013 from 76 million in 1991. The United States is the biggest global consumer accounting for 81% of oxycodone prescriptions and nearly 100% of hyrocodone prescriptions internationally. The amount of deaths from prescription drug overdose has more than quadrupled since 1999 and is now one of the leading causes of death in the United States estimated at 114 deaths daily. Therefore, prevention is key to halting this alarming tendency.
Public policy reform of prescribing practices is necessary to reduce the out of control use of addictive analgesics. Physicians seem ready to face these pain management practices and explore non-opioid strategies to pain relief in the emergency department according to discussions at a recent conference of the American Academy of Emergency Medicine 21st Annual Scientific Assembly. A totally opioid ED is probably not realistic, however exploration of alternatives may supply a solution to the routine prescription of opioids in the ED and beyond.

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