A Work in Progress: National Opioid Prescription Reductions Across Orthopaedic Subspecialties in a Contemporary Medicare Sample of 5,026,911 Claims.

Orthopaedic surgeons across subspecialties have reduced their rates of opioid prescriptions over recent years. Although increased prescription-limiting legislation, alternative methods of pain control, and prescriber reeducation regarding the correct quantity of opioids needed for postoperative pain relief, ongoing research, and efforts are needed to translate these reductions into clinically meaningful changes.