Evaluation of a Mobile Application to Decrease Opioid Misuse and Habit-Forming Behaviors Following Prescription: Preliminary Results and Future Directions

Abstract

Opioid misuse can, and should, be characterized as an epidemic and public health crisis. Opioid misuse, use disorders, and overdoses are costly in terms of morbidity, mortality, and humanitarian and economic costs. Managing the use of opioids in the postoperative period is an essential point of intervention in combating the opioid crisis. To address this critical issue, Continuous Precision Medicine (CPM; Research Triangle Park, NC) has developed a mobile application that tracks a patient’s pain and usage of both opiates and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) medications to manage that pain. Participants ( N = 8) of this feasibility study were patients undergoing outpatient surgeries in an urban area of the Southeastern United States. Seven of eight (87.5%) patients using the mobile application began to delay the next opioid dose and took less than the recommended dosage within 24 hours post-operation, took less than half of the prescribed opioids, and consumed less than 2/3 of the recommended opioids to manage their pain, thereby decreasing their plasma concentration and reducing the risk of habit-forming behaviors. Across seven of the patients, 180 oxycodone pills were prescribed, and only 39 pills (21%) were taken, leaving 141 pills in the community. Preliminary results suggest that the CPM mobile application is feasible and acceptable for both patients and practitioners and provides traceability for the clinicians and make better-informed decisions regarding patient care.