Alot of these opioid initiatives/metrics such as:

Opioid free EDs
Reducing opioid MMEs
Opioid sparing
Etc..

They work off the notion that opioids are "highly addictive" and patients can readily become addicted to these medications..

But if you actually look at the data only a small percentage of patients struggle with opioid addiction, and also looking at data after receiving an opioid after a procedure, or discharged with an opioid script the percentage that go on to have OUD or an overdose situation is low

Instead of basing all these opioid initiatives/metrics listed above on false presuppositions about opioids and addiction we should be encouraging good pain treatment algorithms based on individual patient care.. We should be utilizing multiple pain regimens

(Including opioids) in order to bring about optimal pain management for the patient.. If patients do well without opioids after surgery, etc then that is fine.. But it should be based on what works for the patient not false ideas about addiction..

I think this excerpt really discusses what I'm referring to. We need to make sure we are not basing our opioid policy off false ideas about addiction and opioid use!! #TwitteRx