White Paper
3 Ways to Proactively Protect Injured Workers from Opioid Dependence
White Paper Summary
In recent years, the workers’ compensation industry has made great strides reducing opioid prescriptions for injured workers. According to the CDC, the percentage of all workers’ comp claims with prescriptions that included at least one opioid dropped from 55% in 2012 to 44% in 2016. That number is certainly still falling thanks to stricter prescribing guidelines and more proactive patient and prescriber interventions, but it is still too high.
The industry learned the hard way that keeping opioids out of the picture altogether is the best way to avoid addiction or dependence, stalled recovery and overdose fatalities. Once this powerful painkiller is prescribed, things can unravel quickly.
“Data indicates that once opioid usage goes on beyond the 10-day mark, the chances of abuse or addiction are so much higher,” said Jill Falb, Vice President, Pharmacy Services, CorVel.
“Once someone has been on an opioid for an extended period, it becomes exponentially more difficult to wean them off. A few years ago, we put a stake in the ground and said, ‘We need to stop usage before it gets to that critical stage.’ ”
Falb and her pharmacy team at CorVel execute early opioid intervention at three key stages:
To learn more about CorVel, please visit their website.