None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
The widespread misuse of prescription opioids is a current ‘crisis’ that is already being faced in many countries, including the United States and Canada. Australia is rapidly following the same path as opioids are often prescribed to patients who present to EDs with pain. Australia now ranks eighth internationally on the number of daily doses of prescription opioids per million population (at approximately 40% the level of USA. A proportion of these would result from the prescribing of opioids by physicians in the emergency setting. The principle hypothesis of this study is that restricted prescription of Oxycodone in the Emergency Department will significantly reduce opioid prescription rates compared to current practice including educational programs
Interventions
Restriction of Oxycodone supply:
- An authorisation form will be required to be signed by an Emergency consultant immediately after Oxycodone is prescribed by a treating medical practitioner.
o The Emergency Physician will be required to document the indication.
- The medication will have to be dispensed by a clinical pharmacist.
o Nursing staff will not be able to access Oxycodone
- There will be no Oxycodone stored in the medication dispending system during the week randomised to the intervent
Restriction of Oxycodone supply: - An authorisation form will be required to be signed by an Emergency consultant immediately after Oxycodone is prescribed by a treating medical practitioner. o The Emergency Physician will be required to document the indication. - The medication will have to be dispensed by a clinical pharmacist. o Nursing staff will not be able to access Oxycodone - There will be no Oxycodone stored in the medication dispending system during the week randomised to the intervention arm.
Sponsors
The Alfred Hospital
Study design
Allocation
Randomised controlled trial
Intervention model
Parallel
Primary purpose
Treatment
Masking
Open (masking not used)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
All patients requiring analgesia in the Emergency Department o “Requirement’ will be defined retrospectively by prescription of Paracetamol, Ibuprofen, Tramadol, Tapentadol, Morphine, Fentanyl or Oxycodone in the ED
Exclusion criteria
Prehospital opioid administration Oxycodone considered essential for patient.
Outcome results
None listed