Progress Made Towards Improving Opioid Safety, But Further Efforts to Assess Progress and Reduce Risk Are Needed.

Washington, DC: United States Government Accountability Office; May 2018. Publication GAO-18-380.

Ineffectively prescribed opioids contribute to opioid misuse and overdose among patients. This report analyzed activities at five Veterans Health Administration facilities and found inconsistent application of opioid safety strategies in the system. System-level recommendations to enhance practice include cross-system tracking efforts with defined goals and establishing a pain management leadership role at each facility.

Information Free full text (PDF)