High-Risk Opioid Prescriptions Fall 72% at Kaiser Permanente Southern California

Kaiser Permanente Southern California is confronting one of the most serious drug epidemics in U.S. history with an initiative that’s dramatically reduced the number of opioid prescriptions physicians write.

Using decision support and reporting tools in Epic, Kaiser Permanente reinforces opioid prescribing guidelines, tracks providers’ opioid prescribing practices, and identifies patients at risk of opioid abuse. Since introducing the initiative, the organization has seen a 72% drop in the number of high-risk, long-acting opioid prescriptions and a 98% drop in high-volume, short-acting opioid prescriptions.

All other Kaiser Permanente regions and all 75 emergency departments in Los Angeles County have adopted this approach.

Learn more about KPSC’s initiative here.