Changes in early high-risk opioid prescribing practices after policy interventions in Washington State.
Reducing opioid-related harm is a major patient safety priority. The authors analyzed workers’ compensation pharmacy and billing claims data from one state to explore associations between opioid prescribing policy interventions implemented at different times (including dosing guidelines and prescription drug monitoring) and changes in high-risk prescribing practices. There was a general shift towards more infrequent and lower-risk prescribing, and each policy intervention implementation timepoint was significantly associated with reductions in high-risk prescription indicators (e.g., concurrent opioid and sedative prescribing, high-dose prescribing).