Alternatives to Opioid Education and a Prescription Drug Monitoring Program Cumulatively Decreased Outpatient Opioid Prescriptions.

Introduction: Deaths have increased, and prescription medications are involved in a significant percentage of deaths. Emergency department (ED) changes to managing acute pain and prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs) can impact the potential for abuse.

Methods: We analyzed the impact of a series of quality improvement initiatives on the opioid prescribing habits of emergency department physicians and advanced practice providers.