WCRI: Early Prescribing, Longer-Lasting Supplies Can Predict Extended Opioid Use in Injured Workers

Injured workers who are prescribed relatively high volumes of opioid medications early in their claims are more likely to develop longer-term opioid habits, according to a new study from the Workers Compensation Research Institute. “Early opioid prescribing is the strongest predictor of long-term opioid use,” WCRI Public Policy Analyst Bogdan Savych said during a webinar Thursday. Long-term opioid use occurs when a worker receives his first opioid prescription within three months of an injury followed by three or more visits to fill prescriptions between seven months and one year...