Despite Opioid Concerns, Seniors Often Exit The Hospital With Prescription

40 milligram OxyContin pills. (Photo courtesy U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency)
It’s a common scenario: Someone checks into a hospital for surgery or an illness and leaves with a prescription for an opioid painkiller, opening the door to long-term use and dependence. A recent study examined this pattern and found the prescriptions are used and renewed more often than you might imagine.
Researchers analyzed the pharmacy claims of a random sample of more than 623,000 Medicare beneficia