Improving standardization in care of patients with chronic pain: a focus on harm reduction

Abstract

Background: The opioid crisis remains a major public health issue in the US, with escalating opioid-related deaths annually. Long-term opioid therapy (LTOT) for chronic pain carries a high risk of adverse events, including opioid use disorder (OUD), overdose, and mortality. Standardizing harm-reduction practices, like risk assessment, naloxone access, and early OUD identification, can mitigate risks and enhance patient outcomes. Local Problem: Primary care patients with chronic pain on LTOT need harm reduction to improve patient safety and quality of life. Methods: A six-week plan-do-study-act cycle was employed. Descriptive statistics assessed intervention feasibility. Intervention: The Opioid Risk Tool (ORT) evaluated individual risk for developing an OUD. Patients who screened positively (score > or = 3) on the ORT received provider evaluation, using DSM-5 criteria, for OUD diagnosis. If diagnosed, patients received education about OUD and treatment options with buprenorphine. Naloxone prescriptions were offered by nurses to all patients with chronic pain. Results: All 17 patients with chronic pain completed the ORT, with 9 (53%) identified as high-risk, and 2 (11.8%) diagnosed with OUD. No referrals were made for buprenorphine therapy. Additionally, 13 (76%) patients were offered naloxone prescriptions, and 100% of offered prescriptions were filled. Conclusion: Implementing harm-reduction practices for patients on LTOT for chronic pain is feasible. Further projects will assess the long-term sustainability and impact on patient outcomes.