Why Test?

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Pain management is an important element in a physician’s treatment of an injured worker. Although there are several options for treating non-cancer-related chronic pain (e.g., oral medications, injections, surgery), oral opioid analgesics are the most widely used. However, narcotic medications have a high potential for abuse and addiction. The misuse and abuse of narcotic medications have significant costs, both societal and economic. A 2011 study estimated a $42 billion loss in productivity resulting from the use of prescription painkillers.1 Moreover, approximately 50 Americans die each day from prescription painkiller overdoses.2 Specific to workers’ compensation, the use of long-acting opioid medications has been linked to a greater likelihood that a claim’s cost will exceed $100,000.3