This prospective cohort study aimed to answer the question – can postoperative pain be managed appropriately after hospital discharge with three or fewer days of an opioid supply?

After implementation of the restrictive opioid prescription protocol (ROPP), mean opioid prescribing days decreased from a mean (SD) of 3.9 (4.5) days in the pre-ROPP group to 1.9 (3.6) days in the post-ROPP group, a 45% drop. Patients in the post-ROPP group also requested fewer refills compared to the pre-ROPP group. These results indicate that such a protocol is achievable for most patients, with the potential for reduced opioid use.

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaoncology/article-abstract/2800244