Adoption of Opioid-Sparing and Non-Opioid Regimens After Breast Surgery in a Large, Integrated Health Care Delivery System

Background Postoperative prescriptions have contributed to the opioid epidemic. In response, a large, integrated health care delivery system implemented initiatives to reduce outpatient opioid prescriptions. We evaluated the impact of these interventions on opioid-prescribing practices after breast surgery. Methods We examined postoperative prescribing practices before and after the 2016–2018 intervention period. Primary endpoints were the use of non-opioid regimens (NORs) and morphine milligram equivalents (MMEs) prescribed for postoperative pain management, while secondary endpoints were emergency department (ED) visits and readmissions within 7 days of surgery. Results In a survey of breast surgeons, 23% reported using NORs in 2017 versus 79% in 2019 ( p < 0.001). Comparing 1917 breast operations from 2016 with 2166 operations from 2019, NORs increased from 9% in 2016 to 39% in 2019 ( p < 0.001). Average discharge MMEs per operation decreased from 190 in 2016 to 106 in 2019 ( p < 0.001). NOR failure (defined as an additional opioid prescription within 2 weeks of surgery) was < 1%. Significantly fewer postoperative ED visits occurred in the NOR group (1.9% NOR vs. 3.4% opioid regimen [OR]; p < 0.001). The 7-day readmission rates for NOR and OR patients were similar (0.49% NOR vs. 0.32% OR; p = 0.45). Conclusion Between 2016 and 2019, breast surgeons in a large, integrated health care delivery system adopted NORs for nearly 40% of breast operations, and prescribed significantly fewer MMEs, with no increases in ED visits or readmissions for NOR patients. This suggests that initiatives to decrease opioid prescribing were successful and that a NOR for pain management after breast surgery is feasible.