Effect of an Opioid Management Program for Colorado Workers’ Compensation Providers on Adherence to Treatment Guidelines for Chronic Pain

Details

• Personal Author:
  Matus B ; McKenzie LM ; Mueller K ; Newman, Lee S. ; Tenney L
• Description:
  Objective: The aim of this study was to examine adherence of state guidelines for Colorado workers' compensation physicians/providers treating individuals as injured workers with chronic pain after initiation of an opioid management program and provider incentives. Methods: A retrospective cohort of chronic, non-cancer pain claims was constructed from the Colorado's workers' compensation database. Adherence to treatment guidelines and opioid prescribing practices were evaluated during implementation of a new billing code to incentivize adherence. Results: Overall, less than 33% of claims showed evidence of opioid management. Comprehensive opioid management was observed in only 4.4% of claims. In 2010, after implementing the new billing code, the ratio of long acting opioids to short acting opioids decreased from 0.2 to 0.13; returning to 0.2 in one year. Similarly, morphine equivalent doses declined for a short period. Conclusions: Incentivizing physicians to adhere to chronic pain management guidelines only temporarily improves prescribing practices. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Biopharmaceutics Delivery Of Health Care Drug Therapy Occupational Health Safety
• Keywords:
  Author Keywords: Chronic Pain Drugs Drug Therapy Injured Worker Injuries Medical Care Medical Management Guidelines Opioid Prevention Opioids Pharmaceuticals Workers' Compensation Workers Compensation

  More +
• ISSN:
  0271-3586
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Colorado ; OSHA Region 8
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  21-29
• Volume:
  62
• Issue:
  1
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20053876
• Citation:
  Am J Ind Med 2019 Jan; 62(1):21-29
• Contact Point Address:
  Liliana Tenney, MPH, Center for Health, Work and Environment, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado, 13001 E. 17th Place, Mail Stop B119 HSC, Aurora, CO 80045
• Email:
  liliana.tenney@ucdenver.edu
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2019
• Performing Organization:
  University of Colorado, Denver
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  20070701
• Source Full Name:
  American Journal of Industrial Medicine
• End Date:
  20250630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:9c4ef1c075d4016af1b9c03e0c9d242088841bc63576d465022665e0a92dac7b0ea5eb7c17cbe7f57d7fe1ae30f8d080b097a3a08c506dc8168ed103d6001efe
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/216560/cdc_216560_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 463.84 KB ]