Table 2.
Number of opioids and non-opioid pain medications typically prescribed at time of discharge after each clinical scenario
| Elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy | Emergent sigmoidectomy | Negative exploratory laparotomy | Four unilateral rib fractures | ||
| Opioids | Number of providers who prescribed opioids (%) | 56 (84.8) | 49 (74.2) | 55 (83.3) | 57 (86.4) |
| Number of providers who prescribed only opioids (% among those who prescribed opioids) | 43 (76.8) | 33 (67.3) | 41 (74.5) | 39 (68.4) | |
| Number of tabs prescribed, mean (range) | 20 (3–40) | 30 (10–60) | 30 (10–60) | 30 (5–90) | |
| Number of refills, mean (range) | 0 (0–1) | 0 (0–1) | 0 (0–1) | 0 (0–2) | |
| Non-opioids | Number of providers who prescribed non-opioids (%) | 15 (22.7) | 18 (27.3) | 16 (24.2) | 20 (30.3) |
| Number of providers who prescribed only non-opioids (% among those who prescribed non-opioids) | 2 (13.3) | 2 (11.1) | 2 (12.5) | 2 (10.0) | |
| Number of tablets prescribed, mean (range) | 30 (10–60) | 35 (7–90) | 42.5 (20–90) | 47.5 (21–90) | |
| Number of refills, mean (range) | 0 (0–3) | 0 (0–3) | 0 (0–3) | 0 (0–3) | |
| Both | Number of providers who prescribed both opioids and non-opioids (%) | 13 (22.4) | 16 (31.4) | 14 (24.6) | 18 (30.5) |