Here’s what you need to know:
1. The 182 participating patients responded as such:
- 19.2 percent felt under-medicated after surgery
- 12.6 percent used pain medications at a higher dose than prescribed
- 9.3 percent used external opioids
2. The survey revealed sources of extraneous opioids included family, friends and other physicians.
3. Unemployed and lower-income patients were more likely to:
- Believe their surgeons hadn’t prescribed them enough pain medications
- Use prescribed opioid medications at a higher than recommended dose
4. Unemployed patients used additional opioid analgesics in addition to their surgeon-prescribed opioids more often than employed patients.
5. The study included patients who had undergone operations on fractures involving the pelvis, long bones, knee, ankle, elbow and wrist.
Researchers recommend surgeons be more mindful and aware of patients’ socioeconomic backgrounds when providing effective pain treatment.
More articles on orthopedics:
‘The Leading Physicians of the World’ presents Dr. Nihat Ilksen Gurkan — 4 notes
Orthopedic surgeon to know: Dr. Keith Baumgarten of Orthopedic Institute
Orthopedic surgeon to know: Dr. Stephen Nicholas of NY Orthopedics
At the Becker’s 32nd Annual Meeting: The Business and Operations of ASCs, taking place October 29-31 in Chicago, ASC leaders, surgeons and healthcare executives will explore strategies to drive growth, enhance operational performance, navigate reimbursement challenges and prepare for the future of ambulatory surgery. Apply for complimentary registration now.