Promoting Health Department Opioid-Prescribing Guidelines for NYC Emergency Departments (video)

Posted on June 15, 2018 by jphmpdirect

A new article published in the July 2018 issue of the Journal of Public Health Management & Practice evaluates voluntary guidelines for the judicious prescribing of opioids upon discharge from an emergency department. The guidelines were developed by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and an expert panel of emergency medicine physicians to address the opioid epidemic. The evaluation, “Promoting Health Department Opioid–Prescribing Guidelines for New York City Emergency Departments: A Qualitative Evaluation,” was conducted using semi-structured interviews with ED directors and providers. The guidelines were widely supported by respondents and cited as helpful in easing difficult negotiations with patients requesting opioids. Health departments should consider partnering with emergency physicians to promote the public health goal of judicious opioid prescribing.