System deployed in 2,444 patients during 16-month period showed that 61 percent of opioid tablets remained unused<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n
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TUESDAY, Feb. 23, 2021 (HealthDay News) — A text message system can monitor postoperative opioid use and shows that many prescribed opioid tablets are unused, according to a case study published in the March issue of NEJM Catalyst.<\/em><\/p>\n Anish K. Agarwal, M.D., M.P.H., from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, and colleagues built, deployed, and tested an automated text messaging program for postoperative patient engagement.<\/p>\n The researchers sent an initial text message after surgery, and patients provided e-consent. A series of questions were sent on postoperative days 4, 7, 14, and 21. Questions were completed on self-reported pain intensity, the ability to manage pain, and use of prescription opioids; in addition, locations for safe disposal of opioids were provided. Text messages were sent to 2,444 adult patients during a 16-month period, of whom 47.2 percent provided e-consent. The proportion of patients responding to questions varied from a low of 69 percent on day 7 to a high of 95 percent on day 21. Among the respondents, 10,305 (61 percent) opioid tablets remained unused. For all procedure types, there was a decrease in the mean self-reported pain score within 21 days after surgery.<\/p>\n “Our system works as a quality improvement mechanism and a way for providers to see trends in patient-reported pain and opioid use following their surgeries,” Agarwal said in a statement. “We can collect the data, analyze it, and inform future prescribing to predict and meet the needs of our patients going forward.”<\/p>\n Abstract\/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)<\/a><\/p>\n <\/i><\/p>\n