Opioid Prescribing Patterns Among American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Members in the Medicare Part D Database

Purpose: To assess opioid prescribing patterns among American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (ASOPRS) members. Methods: An observational, retrospective, cohort study of ASOPRS members' prescribing patterns in the 2013-2016 Medicare Part D Prescriber database. These prescribers were stratified by years in practice, sex, and geography. The ASOPRS member cohort was compared with all ophthalmologists, as a group, and other surgeons. Results: The authors identified 617 surgeons in the 2017 ASOPRS directory. Members wrote an average of 45 opioid prescriptions/year. Almost half (45%) wrote 10 prescriptions averaged 78 annually. A minority wrote >100 prescriptions per year (14.8%). Overall, opioids comprised 16.5% of all prescriptions written by ASOPRS members. Despite seeing a similar number of beneficiaries (p = 0.20), male members prescribed a greater number (p < 0.05) and a higher rate (p < 0.05) of opioids than female members. Older members had a lower opioid prescription rate (p < 0.0001). Many heavy opioid prescribers practiced in states with high opioid overdose deaths. Conclusions: American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery members prescribe moderate amounts of opioids at a rate (16.5%) higher than all of ophthalmology (4%),(1) above the national mean (6.8%), but lower than other surgical services (36.5%).(2) Male gender, younger age, and practice in states with high opioid-related deaths were correlated to number of prescriptions. Prescribing patterns may naturally relate to the type of surgical intervention and population. Further research is warranted to understand opioid prescriptions and their role in the opioid epidemic.