Opioid Prescribing Habits of Emergency Department Providers in Response to an Educational Intervention.

Introduction: Prescription opioid misuse and dependency has been a rising cause for concern in the United States in recent years, and many of these cases began with an initial prescription in the Emergency Department (ED). Prior studies found that patients seen by "high intensity" prescribers, who prescribe greater quantities of opioids than 75% of other ED physicians within the same hospital, are significantly more likely to suffer from long-term opioid use. Other studies have shown that educational interventions on appropriate opioid prescription in surgical settings have resulted in fewer post-operative opioid prescriptions and less variance in prescribing habits by providers.

Health Outcomes of American Indians and Non-American Indians Hospitalized with COVID-19 in Western South Dakota.

Introduction: The purpose of this project was to determine the presence of disproportionate health outcomes during COVID-19 hospitalizations between American Indian and non-American Indian populations in western South Dakota.

Methods: A retrospective chart review study was conducted from March 29, 2020-November 30, 2021 at a 400 bed community hospital in western South Dakota. Groups were categorized by American Indian status (AI) and Non-American Indian status (NAI) based on admission paperwork.