Expanding Naloxone Coprescribing at a Regional VA Medical Center

Abstract

Veterans are disproportionately affected by chronic pain and are more likely to be prescribed opioids. As a means of risk mitigation, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Department of Defense recommend naloxone for patients on opioids with risk factors, including use of ≥50 morphine milligram equivalents daily, concurrent benzodiazepine/sedative use, and pulmonary or liver disease. An interprofessional quality improvement team consisting of 6 residents, a pharmacist, a nurse educator, and a faculty mentor was formed to increase naloxone coprescriptions at a regional VA medical center Continuity of Care Clinic. Primary intervention identified eligible patients via the VA Primary Care Almanac's Opioid Therapy Risk Report and alerted providers by email and secure messaging. Naloxone coprescription rates increased from 42% initially in June 2022 to 82% by June 2023 (29/69 to 41/50 patients, P < 0.0001). This project demonstrates that notifying providers of high-risk patients can significantly increase naloxone coprescriptions.