Opioid utilization after orthopaedic trauma hospitalization among Medicaid-insured adults.

Opioids are vital to pain management and sedation after trauma-related hospitalization. However, there are many confounding clinical, social, and environmental factors that exacerbate pain, post-injury care needs, and receipt of opioid prescriptions following orthopaedic trauma. This retrospective study sought to characterize differences in opioid prescribing and dosing in a national Medicaid eligible sample from 2010-2018.

Integration of Life Care Specialists Into Orthopaedic Trauma Care to Improve Postoperative Outcomes: A Pilot Study.

Background: AIM: This pilot study assessed the feasibility and impact of integrating a Life Care Specialist (LCS) into orthopaedic trauma care.

Design: This was a prospective feasibility single group pilot study at a level 1 trauma center.

Method: The LCS is a paraprofessional behavior-based "pain coach" and delivered patient-centered opioid safety education, trained participants on nonpharmacologic pain management approaches, conducted opioid risk assessments, and coordinated care.

The effect of a Life Care Specialist on pain management and opioid-related outcomes among patients with orthopedic trauma: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Orthopedic trauma patients face complex pain management needs and are frequently prescribed opioids, leaving them at-risk for prolonged opioid use. To date, post-trauma pain management research has placed little emphasis on individualized risk assessments for misuse and systematically implementing non-pharmacologic pain management strategies. Therefore, a community-academic partnership was formed to design a novel position in the healthcare field (Life Care Specialist (LCS)), who will educate patients on the risks of opioids, tapering usage, safe disposal practices, and harm reduction strategies.