The effect of a multifaceted intervention on post-operative opioid use after orthopedic and spine surgery: Results of a before-after pilot study

Authors

• Jeffrey L Schnipper
• Linda S Aglio
• Laura Mendez-Pino, Henry Ford HealthFollow
• Kristen Warren
• Sarah Corey
• Eduardo Mendez-Pino
• Patrick W Collins
• Robert N Jamison
• Michele L Matthews
• Michelle Ko
• Lauren Konieczynski
• Martha B Carnie
• Shimon Shaykevich
• Julie Fiskio
• Lina Matta
• Joji Suzuki
• E John Orav
• Michael J Weaver
• Richard D Urman

Recommended Citation

Schnipper JL, Aglio LS, Mendez-Pino L, Warren K, Corey S, Mendez-Pino E, Collins PW, Jamison RN, Matthews ML, Ko M, Konieczynski L, Carnie MB, Shaykevich S, Fiskio J, Matta L, Suzuki J, Orav EJ, Weaver MJ, Urman RD. The effect of a multifaceted intervention on post-operative opioid use after orthopedic and spine surgery: Results of a before-after pilot study. J Opioid Manag. 2026;22(2):195-211.

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

3-1-2026

Publication Title

J Opioid Manag

Keywords

Adult, Aged, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Analgesics, Opioid, Neurosurgical Procedures, Opioid-Related Disorders, Orthopedic Procedures, Patient Discharge, Pilot Projects, Postoperative Pain, Spine, Time Factors, Treatment Outcome

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To assess the clinical effectiveness of a pilot multifaceted intervention to prevent persistent opioid use among patients undergoing orthopedic and spine surgery.

DESIGN: Pre-post pilot study.

SETTING: Two hospitals (academic medical center and affiliated community hospital) in a single healthcare system. Preintervention period was July 1, 2021 to June 1, 2022; post-intervention period was June 2, 2022 to February 28, 2023.

PATIENTS: A total of 171 inpatient orthopedic and neurosurgical spine patients.

INTERVENTION: Multifaceted persistent Opioid use Prevention Program (MOPP), including standardized order sets, pharmacist-led discharge counseling, a virtual post-discharge visit, and a mobile app for tracking pain, function, and opioid use for up to 180 days after hospital discharge.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Persistent opioid use within 180 days post-discharge.

RESULTS: Outcome assessors were blinded. Of 115 patients in the intervention group, 91 (79 percent) received at least one component of MOPP. Persistent opioid use was observed in 10.9 percent of usual care patients and 4.5 percent in intervention patients (weighted difference -6.4 percent, 95 percent confidence interval [CI] -21 percent, +8.2, p = 0.37). In subgroup analyses, the intervention demonstrated a significant reduction in persistent opioid use among nonopioid-naive patients (weighted difference -40 percent, 95 percent CI -76 percent, -4.2 percent), with evidence of effect modification by opioid-naive status (p value for interaction term 0.005).

CONCLUSIONS: This pilot study demonstrated a nonsignificant overall effect on the primary outcome, with significant effects on nonopioid-naive patients. Further research with a larger trial is needed to validate these findings.

Medical Subject Headings

Adult; Aged; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Analgesics, Opioid; Neurosurgical Procedures; Opioid-Related Disorders; Orthopedic Procedures; Patient Discharge; Pilot Projects; Postoperative Pain; Spine; Time Factors; Treatment Outcome

PubMed ID

42159573

Volume

22

Issue

2

First Page

195

Last Page

211