JAMA study shows how surgeons successfully reduced prescribed opioids

It may not be rocket science, but a group of surgeons at the University of Michigan’s Michigan Medicine has devised a strategy to curb the nation’s opioid epidemic - starting at their own hospital. Their findings appeared online Wednesday in the journal JAMA Surgery.
Opioid addiction has been deemed a national emergency. It’s estimated to have claimed 64,000 lives in 2016 alone. And research shows that post-surgical patients are at an increased risk of addiction because of the medication they receive to help manage pain during recovery.
It’s a simple enough idea: Surgeons should give patients fewer pills after surgery - the time when many people are first introduced to what can be highly addictive painkillers. They should also talk to patients about the proper use of opioids and the associated risks.