Optimized Impact: Assets That Turn Opioid Guideline Recommendations into Results

Background:  Brunet-Garcia (BG) has worked with the Division of Unintentional Injury Prevention’s (DUIP) Prescription Drug Overdose (PDO) team since 2015. BG was awarded a contract to develop a suite of materials to be released with CDC’s Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Painto raise awareness of the Guideline and help healthcare providers better understand and implement the Guideline. 

Program background: Prescription opioid drug addiction is a health crisis in the United States. Fueled by increasing prescriptions, which have quadrupled in the past 10 years, as many as 1 in 4 people receiving prescription opioids long-term, in a primary care setting, struggle with opioid addiction. To address this public health epidemic, CDC released Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain,March 2016.  BG was tapped to translate core messages and distill the new opioid prescribing guideline to help healthcare providers understand and implement Guideline recommendations into clinical practice. BG was responsible for creating a look for the Guideline resources that would resonate with healthcare providers, focusing on a clean, scientific style with a modern feel in alignment with the CDC brand standards.  CDC tools and resources were designed to curb inappropriate prescribing and improve provider education while attempting to balance patient safety and access to effective medical treatment. A comprehensive suite of communications materials released with the Guideline incorporated fact sheets, digital ads, two videos (including a narrative, real-life scenario video), a presentation, and a mobile application. These clinical decision-making tools were strategically designed to help providers turn recommendations into practice. For example, the app includes a Morphine Milligram Equivalent (MME) calculator, Guideline quick tips and key points, and motivational interviewing techniques. The app’s calculator provides a cross-functional resource that calculates dosage and points to recommendations for each dosing level, encouraging healthcare providers to learn more.

Evaluation Methods and Results:  There were over 84,000 visits to CDC’s Guideline webpage in the first 30 days after the release, and there were more than 10,000 downloads of BG-produced communications materials in the first month of their release. As of March 31, 2017, the mobile app has 9,403 downloads. NCIPC has received widespread acclaim for the Guideline and campaign materials with 22 medical society statements of support and 18 states choosing to implement some or all of the CDC Guideline in their guidelines. 

Conclusions: A resource like the Guideline is lengthy and complex, with over 60 pages of content and more than 100 references. It is important to ensure providers have easier access to the 12 recommendations and critical guidance. Easy-to-use tools like the mobile app, brochures, and fact sheets allow healthcare providers to quickly retrieve information needed for clinical decision making. 

Implications for research and/or practice: Incorporating a mobile app and a complimentary suite of communications materials allows healthcare providers to continually have dosage calculations and Guidelines guidance at the ready as they interact with patients, allowing for better adherence and implementation of Guideline recommendations.