OPIOID prescribing trends following outpatient surgery have seen a marked decline over the last decade, according to new U.S. claims data, signaling a nationwide shift in post-operative pain management across multiple surgical specialties.
Between 2009 and 2022, the proportion of commercially insured adult patients who filled an opioid prescription within one week of undergoing same-day outpatient surgery dropped from 42.8% to just 15.9%, according to a recent study published on PubMed. The analysis included over 400,000 patients drawn from the Optum Clinformatics Data Mart, focusing on six types of procedures across dermatologic, orthopedic, ophthalmologic, plastic, otolaryngologic, and urologic specialties.
The procedures examined were reduction mammoplasty, Mohs micrographic surgery, endoscopic sinus surgery, arthroscopic shoulder surgery, strabismus surgery, and vasectomy. The trend was consistent across all specialties, with a statistically significant reduction in opioid fill rates (p<0.001). The sharpest decline occurred from 2017 to 2022, with an average annual percent change (APC) of –12.9%. This follows an earlier, more moderate decline between 2012 and 2017 (APC –5.4%). The highest overall prescription rate was recorded in 2010, when 43.1% of patients filled an opioid script post-operatively. The findings align with CDC guidelines urging clinicians to reduce unnecessary opioid prescribing, particularly in the context of rising concern over opioid misuse. The observed trend suggests increased awareness among physicians, evolving guidelines, and possibly greater reliance on multimodal pain management strategies. However, the study authors note that the data—sourced from a commercial insurance database—may not reflect patterns among patients without commercial insurance, potentially limiting generalizability. Still, the study provides compelling evidence of improved opioid stewardship in U.S. outpatient surgical care and underscores the ongoing shift in postoperative prescribing behavior. Healthcare professionals and policymakers may find these trends encouraging as they continue to implement and evaluate pain management protocols that prioritize safety and effectiveness. Reference: Veerabagu SA et al. National opioid prescription decline across outpatient specialty surgeries: a claims database study. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2025:S0190-9622(25)00610-3.
