# Evaluating Policy Interventions to Decrease Excessive and Risky Perioperative Opioid Prescribing

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR · 2024 · $673,616

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
At least 15.4 million opioid prescriptions in the United States are provided each year during surgical care.
Excessive and risky perioperative opioid prescribing patterns are common and increase the risk of opioid
overdose, addiction, diversion, and persistent opioid use. To mitigate these harms, policymakers and payers in
most states have enacted policies that restrict opioid prescribing for acute pain or mandate clinicians to review
prescription drug monitoring program databases before prescribing opioids (PDMP use mandates). To date, few
studies have rigorously assessed the intended and unintended effects of these policies in the context of surgical
care. In this 4-year study, we will use quasi-experimental methods to examine the impact of opioid prescribing
limits and PDMP use mandates on perioperative opioid prescribing, high-risk prescribing, opioid-related adverse
events, and patient-reported outcomes. First, we will use commercial, Medicare, and Medicaid claims databases
to evaluate the effect of state opioid prescribing limits and to assess variation in effects by policy feature, patient
population, procedure, and prescriber (Aim 1). Second, we will evaluate the effect of state PDMP use mandates
and examine heterogeneity in effects using the same claims databases (Aim 2). Finally, we will determine the
impact of a major Michigan insurer’s opioid prescribing limit and Michigan’s PDMP use mandate on opioid
prescribing and patient-reported outcomes after surgery, using a novel linkage between a statewide registry of
surgical patients and the state PDMP database (Aim 3). Our findings will directly inform efforts to mitigate
morbidity from perioperative opioid prescribing and close critical knowledge gaps needed to optimize future
policy design. For example, if opioid prescribing limits and PDMP use mandates have reduced perioperative
opioid prescribing with minimal unintended effects, policymakers should consider implementing these policies
more broadly. However, if the policies have not reduced perioperative opioid prescribing or have had substantial
unintended effects, other approaches may be needed. Ultimately, this proposal will contribute to the development
of well-designed policies that balance the need for safe opioid prescribing with the need for effective
postoperative pain management.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10873315
- **Project number:** 5R01DA057284-03
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR
- **Principal Investigator:** Kao-Ping Chua
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $673,616
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2022-09-01 → 2024-10-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10873315

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10873315, Evaluating Policy Interventions to Decrease Excessive and Risky Perioperative Opioid Prescribing (5R01DA057284-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10873315. Licensed CC0.

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