Implementation of Non-Opioid Protocol to Reduce Opioid Use in an Adult Outpatient Clinic

Abstract

The United States is in an opioid epidemic due to increased abuse of prescription opioids and increased access to illicit opioids. Non-pharmacological and adjuvant therapies in managing chronic lower back pain will help reduce the use of opioids, thus curbing the rising opioid crisis. This evidence-based project aimed to implement a pain management protocol using non-opioid interventions in chronic lower back pain management to reduce the use of opioids and pain levels. A quality improvement project design. Providers' knowledge level in pain management was evaluated using pre- and post-intervention tests. The pain level among patients was assessed using the pain level assessment tool and MME opioid guidelines. The pain management protocol was implemented. Data on pain level and MME was collected every 28 days during patient visits to the clinic. 160 patients were included in the project. The Quality improvement project increased pain knowledge from 60 to 90 percent among providers on safe pain management. The MME levels among patients on the first visit were 51.9, which decreased to 30.6 on the fourth visit. The pain level among patients decreased from 7.6 on the first visit to 4.6 on the fourth. The dose of opioids was tapered off among 20 patients using non-pharmacological and adjuvant interventions. The study concluded that increased knowledge of safe pain management and non-pharmacological and adjuvant therapies results in decreased pain and MME levels among patients with lower back pain.