In part three of our workers compensation drug trends series were evaluating opioid trends, which continue to represent a decreasing proportion of overall scripts and costs with favorable trends seen in important markers such as morphine equivalent dose (MED), duration of use, and access to guideline-supported measures including medication-assisted treatment (MAT) and overdose rescue medication (naloxone). Some highlights from the series include: • The number of injured workers using opioids has continued to decline for 6 consecutive years • Opioid script utilization has fallen at least 10% each year for the last 5 years • First Script® has continuously reduced Morphine equivalent Dose (MED) over the last 9 years Each part in the series is accompanied by an ongoing deeper dive into various related topics to address the specific trends highlighted in the infographics. To learn more, stay tuned for upcoming blog posts or visit the Sounding Board at: https://blogs.coventrywcs.com/ Previous reports and missed editions of the series can be found on our Drug Trends Page at www.coventrywcs.com/drugtrends.
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