Seniors' Opioid-Related Hospital Stays, ED Visits Surge Over Five Years

A new study from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) finds opioid-related hospital stays and emergency department (ED) visits for persons 65 and older rose 54 percent and 100 percent, respectively, between 2010 and 2015, reports the American Hospital Association . Analysis of data from AHRQ's Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project determined the 124,300 hospital stays and 36,200 ED visits in 2015 for seniors with opioid-related diagnoses also exceeded the average cost for seniors with other conditions and were more likely to lead to discharge to a post-acute care center. A second AHRQ study estimated about one in five seniors filled at least one outpatient opioid prescription in 2015-2016. "The statistics in these reports provide important new insights into the opioid crisis and its impact on one of the nation's most vulnerable populations," said AHRQ Director Gopal Khanna. "The information is essential in supporting the Department of Health and Human Services' and HHS Secretary Alex Azar's ongoing efforts to confront the epidemic."