Pubdate: Tue, 06 Sep 2016
Source: New York Times (NY)
Copyright: 2016 The New York Times Company
Contact: http://www.nytimes.com/ref/membercenter/help/lettertoeditor.html
Website: http://www.nytimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/298
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v16/n597/a03.html
Author: T.J. Gan

WHAT WE CAN DO TO REDUCE OPIOID OVERUSE

To the Editor:

Re "Safer Alternatives to Opioids" (editorial, Aug. 30):

As an anesthesiologist and president of the American Society for 
Enhanced Recovery, I applaud the surgeon general's campaign 
addressing the overprescribing and misuse of opioids.

While I agree that minimizing opioid use will take a concerted effort 
by all those involved in the health care system, hospitals, in 
particular, have a critical role. Although often overlooked in the 
opioid discussion, hospitals have become an inadvertent gateway to 
opioid use in America. A recent survey found that one in 10 patients 
became addicted or dependent on opioids following a surgical 
procedure, and 91 percent of surgeons felt pressure to prescribe more 
opioids than a patient needed, in part because of the need to score 
well on patient satisfaction evaluations.

It's imperative that hospitals re-evaluate the systems in place and 
promote the use of non-opioid alternatives over opioids. These 
medications can help reduce or, in some cases, completely eliminate 
the need for opioids post-surgery without compromising patient care. 
I hope the surgeon general's efforts will help bring about positive 
change in the adoption of non-opioid methods.

T.J. GAN

Stony Brook, N.Y.

The writer is chairman of the department of anesthesiology at Stony 
Brook University.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom