It’s Time to Kill the Refill!

During the webinar, Brand Newland, PharmD, and Peter Hegi discuss how a seemingly innocuous VILLAIN — the SINGLE opioid refill after surgery — is covertly wreaking havoc on our people, their families and our communities. It turns out that the TRUE cost of a $10.56 opioid refill after surgery is as follows:

• 2-3 million NEW persistent opioid users EVERY YEAR after surgery
• $5,645 higher healthcare costs in the 90 days post-surgery on average for every patient who receives at least one opioid refills
• 2X increased risk of still using opioids 1 year later
• 20% of patient still using opioids 3 years later
• $221,219 average cost per Opioid Use Disorder Case (includes healthcare, substance use treatment, criminal justice system & lost productivity costs)
• 3.3 Billion (YES, BILLION with a B) leftover opioids in medicine cabinets EVERY YEAR and available for misuse as a result of surgery-related overprescribing

It’s clear that TOGETHER, we need to KILL THE REFILL. By rethinking our approach to surgery and the ensuing recovery, we CAN make this mission a reality and protect our people, their families and our communities from the harms of opioids.