2022 CDC Clinical Practice Guideline for Prescribing Opioids Implementation Guide
2022.1.0 - CI Build

2022 CDC Clinical Practice Guideline for Prescribing Opioids Implementation Guide, published by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This guide is not an authorized publication; it is the continuous build for version 2022.1.0 built by the FHIR (HL7® FHIR® Standard) CI Build. This version is based on the current content of https://github.com/cqframework/opioid-cds-r4/ and changes regularly. See the Directory of published versions

Recommendation #11 - Concurrent Use of Opioids and Benzodiazepines

Note that this recommendation is represented in multiple variations where each variation corresponds to the CDS Hook by which it was meant to be triggered/evaluated. Use the tabs below to navigate to each variation.

CDC Guideline: 2022 CDC Clinical Practice Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Pain
Recommendation Topic: Selecting Opioids and Determining Opioid Dosages (Source)
Recommendation Description: Clinicians should use particular caution when prescribing opioid pain medication and benzodiazepines concurrently and consider whether benefits outweigh risks of concurrent prescribing of opioids and other central nervous system depressants. (Source)
Recommendation Category: B
Evidence Type: 3
Recommendation11-order-select-flow.png
Flow Diagram for Recommendation 11

  • When
    • Provider is prescribing an opioid analgesic with ambulatory misuse potential in the outpatient setting or
    • Provider is prescribing a benzodiazepine or other central nervous system depressant medication
    • Opioid review is useful for this patient:
      • Patient is 18 or over
      • Patient does not have evidence of sickle cell disease
      • Patient does not have findings indicating limited life expectancy
      • Patient does not have orders for therapies indicating end of life care
      • Patient is not undergoing active cancer treatment:
        • Patient has had at least 2 office visits within the past 12 months with an oncology specialist present, or
        • Patient has had at least 2 office visits within the past 12 months with a CDC malignant cancer condition diagnosis
      • Patient does not have conditions likely terminal for opioid prescribing present
    • Patient prescribed opioid analgesic with ambulatory misuse potential and benzodiazepine or other central nervous system depressant medication concurrently
  • Then
    • Use particular caution when prescribing opioid pain medication and benzodiazepines concurrently:
      • Document - Will modify prescription
      • Snooze - Benefits outweigh risks, snooze 3 months
      • Snooze - N/A see comment, snooze 3 months
The following table describes the flowchart decisions and sub-routines for the recommendation
Definition Answer to Proceed Details Data (Terminology) Requirement Profile Path
Order for opioid analgesics with ambulatory misuse potential? Yes Trigger based on a new prescription (order) for opioid analgesics with ambulatory misuse potential - ideally the prescription should be selected prior to being committed to the system Opioid analgesics with ambulatory misuse potential MedicationRequest MedicationRequest.medication, and MedicationRequest.category
Order for benzodiazepine or other central nervous system depressant medications? Yes Trigger based on a new prescription (order) for opioids or benzodiazepines or other central nervous system depressant in the relevant value sets - ideally the prescription should be selected prior to being committed to the system Benzodiazepine or other central nervous system depressant medications MedicationRequest MedicationRequest.medication, and MedicationRequest.category
Opioid review useful? Yes See Opioid Review Useful sub-routine
Receiving both opioid with ambulatory use potential and benzodiazepine or other central nervous system depressant ? Yes New prescription is for an opioid and existing use of benzodiazepine or other central nervous system depressant evident, OR New prescription is for benzodiazepine or other central nervous system depressant and existing use of opioids evident Opioid analgesics with ambulatory misuse potential
Benzodiazepine or other central nervous system depressant medications
MedicationRequest MedicationRequest.medication, and MedicationRequest.category

Effective Data Requirements

The following artifacts formalize the description of the logic and behavior defined by this recommendation.

Resource Type Description
2022 CDC Clinical Practice Guideline Recommendation #11 Order Select PlanDefinition Event-Condition-Action rule that implements behavior for 2022 CDC Clinical Practice Guideline Recommendation #11 Order Select
Recommendation #11 Order Select - concurrent opioid pain medication and benzodiazepines or other central nervous system depressant prescriptions Library Defines the data requirements to support evaluation of recommendation #11 Order Select
Opioid Terminology Management Knowledge-base Data (OMTK) LibraryLibraryCQL Library that provides logic for implementation of opioid management functionality including Milligram Morphine Equivalents (MME).
Opioid Terminology Management Knowledge-base (OMTK) LibraryLibraryCQL Library that provides logic for implementation of opioid management functionality including Milligram Morphine Equivalents (MME).
Common Opioid Decision Support LogicLibraryCQL Library that provides common logic for the recommendations
Common OpioidCDS Configuration LogicLibraryCQL Library that provides common configuration logic for the recommendations
Common OpioidCDS Routines LogicLibraryCQL Library that provides common routines logic for the recommendations
FHIRHelpers Conversion LogicLibraryCQL Library that defines functions to convert between FHIR data types and CQL system-defined types, as well as functions to support FHIRPath implementation
DescriptionCDS Hooks RequestExpected Response
Patient is 18 or older. Patient is being prescribed Flurazepam Hydrochloride 15 MG Oral Capsule (RxNorm code 1298088), once per day for 30 days. Patient is also being prescribed 12 HR Oxycodone Hydrochloride 10 MG Extended Release Oral Tablet (RxNorm code 1049502), once per day for 30 days.
This triggers a message with the recommendation to avoid prescribing opioid pain medication and benzodiazepine concurrently with following three feedback options:
i. Revise
ii. Indicate that the benefits outweigh the risks and snooze for 3 months
iii. Indicate that it is not applicable, log a comment and snooze for 3 months
Request JSON Response JSON
Patient is 18 or older. Patient is being prescribed Flurazepam Hydrochloride 15 MG Oral Capsule (RxNorm code 1298088), once per day for 30 days. The patient will be excluded and no message will be triggered - an empty set of cards will be returned. Request JSON Response JSON
Patient is 18 or older. Patient is being prescribed Flurazepam Hydrochloride 15 MG Oral Capsule (RxNorm code 1298088), once per day for 30 days. Patient is also being prescribed 12 HR Oxycodone Hydrochloride 10 MG Extended Release Oral Tablet (RxNorm code 1049502), once per day for 30 days.
This triggers a message with the recommendation to avoid prescribing opioid pain medication and benzodiazepine concurrently with following three feedback options:
i. Revise
ii. Indicate that the benefits outweigh the risks and snooze for 3 months
iii. Indicate that it is not applicable, log a comment and snooze for 3 months
Request JSON Response JSON
Patient is 18 or older. Patient is being prescribed 12 HR Oxycodone Hydrochloride 10 MG Extended Release Oral Tablet (RxNorm code 1049502), once per day for 30 days. The patient will be excluded and no message will be triggered - an empty set of cards will be returned. Request JSON Response JSON
  • When
    • Provider is prescribing an opioid analgesic with ambulatory misuse potential in the outpatient setting or
    • Provider is prescribing a benzodiazepine or other central nervous system depressant medication
    • Opioid review is useful for this patient:
      • Patient is 18 or over
      • Patient does not have evidence of sickle cell disease
      • Patient does not have findings indicating limited life expectancy
      • Patient does not have orders for therapies indicating end of life care
      • Patient is not undergoing active cancer treatment:
        • Patient has had at least 2 office visits within the past 12 months with an oncology specialist present, or
        • Patient has had at least 2 office visits within the past 12 months with a CDC malignant cancer condition diagnosis
      • Patient does not have conditions likely terminal for opioid prescribing present
    • Patient prescribed opioid analgesic with ambulatory misuse potential and benzodiazepine or other central nervous system depressant medication concurrently
  • Then
    • Use particular caution when prescribing opioid pain medication and benzodiazepines concurrently:
      • Document - Will modify prescription
      • Snooze - Benefits outweigh risks, snooze 3 months
      • Snooze - N/A see comment, snooze 3 months

The following table describes the flowchart decisions and sub-routines for the recommendation
Definition Answer to Proceed Details Data (Terminology) Requirement Profile Path
Order for opioid analgesics with ambulatory misuse potential? Yes Trigger based on a new prescription (order) for opioid analgesics with ambulatory misuse potential - ideally the prescription should be selected prior to being committed to the system Opioid analgesics with ambulatory misuse potential MedicationRequest MedicationRequest.medication, and MedicationRequest.category
Order for benzodiazepine or other central nervous system depressant medications? Yes Trigger based on a new prescription (order) for opioids or benzodiazepines or other central nervous system depressant in the relevant value sets - ideally the prescription should be selected prior to being committed to the system Benzodiazepine or other central nervous system depressant medications MedicationRequest MedicationRequest.medication, and MedicationRequest.category
Opioid review useful? Yes See Opioid Review Useful sub-routine
Receiving both opioid with ambulatory use potential and benzodiazepine or other central nervous system depressant ? Yes New prescription is for an opioid and existing use of benzodiazepine or other central nervous system depressant evident, OR New prescription is for benzodiazepine or other central nervous system depressant and existing use of opioids evident Opioid analgesics with ambulatory misuse potential
Benzodiazepine or other central nervous system depressant medications
MedicationRequest MedicationRequest.medication, and MedicationRequest.category

Effective Data Requirements

The following artifacts formalize the description of the logic and behavior defined by this recommendation.

Resource Type Description
2022 CDC Clinical Practice Guideline Recommendation #11 Order Select PlanDefinition Event-Condition-Action rule that implements behavior for 2022 CDC Clinical Practice Guideline Recommendation #11 Order Select
Recommendation #11 Order Select - concurrent opioid pain medication and benzodiazepines or other central nervous system depressant prescriptions Library Defines the data requirements to support evaluation of recommendation #11 Order Select
Opioid Terminology Management Knowledge-base Data (OMTK) LibraryLibraryCQL Library that provides logic for implementation of opioid management functionality including Milligram Morphine Equivalents (MME).
Opioid Terminology Management Knowledge-base (OMTK) LibraryLibraryCQL Library that provides logic for implementation of opioid management functionality including Milligram Morphine Equivalents (MME).
Common Opioid Decision Support LogicLibraryCQL Library that provides common logic for the recommendations
Common OpioidCDS Configuration LogicLibraryCQL Library that provides common configuration logic for the recommendations
Common OpioidCDS Routines LogicLibraryCQL Library that provides common routines logic for the recommendations
FHIRHelpers Conversion LogicLibraryCQL Library that defines functions to convert between FHIR data types and CQL system-defined types, as well as functions to support FHIRPath implementation

DescriptionCDS Hooks RequestExpected Response
Patient is 18 or older. Patient is being prescribed Flurazepam Hydrochloride 15 MG Oral Capsule (RxNorm code 1298088), once per day for 30 days. Patient is also being prescribed 12 HR Oxycodone Hydrochloride 10 MG Extended Release Oral Tablet (RxNorm code 1049502), once per day for 30 days.
This triggers a message with the recommendation to avoid prescribing opioid pain medication and benzodiazepine concurrently with following three feedback options:
i. Revise
ii. Indicate that the benefits outweigh the risks and snooze for 3 months
iii. Indicate that it is not applicable, log a comment and snooze for 3 months
Request JSON Response JSON
Patient is 18 or older. Patient is being prescribed Flurazepam Hydrochloride 15 MG Oral Capsule (RxNorm code 1298088), once per day for 30 days. The patient will be excluded and no message will be triggered - an empty set of cards will be returned. Request JSON Response JSON
Patient is 18 or older. Patient is being prescribed Flurazepam Hydrochloride 15 MG Oral Capsule (RxNorm code 1298088), once per day for 30 days. Patient is also being prescribed 12 HR Oxycodone Hydrochloride 10 MG Extended Release Oral Tablet (RxNorm code 1049502), once per day for 30 days.
This triggers a message with the recommendation to avoid prescribing opioid pain medication and benzodiazepine concurrently with following three feedback options:
i. Revise
ii. Indicate that the benefits outweigh the risks and snooze for 3 months
iii. Indicate that it is not applicable, log a comment and snooze for 3 months
Request JSON Response JSON
Patient is 18 or older. Patient is being prescribed 12 HR Oxycodone Hydrochloride 10 MG Extended Release Oral Tablet (RxNorm code 1049502), once per day for 30 days. The patient will be excluded and no message will be triggered - an empty set of cards will be returned. Request JSON Response JSON
CDC Guideline: 2022 CDC Clinical Practice Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Pain
Recommendation Topic: Selecting Opioids and Determining Opioid Dosages (Source)
Recommendation Description: Clinicians should use particular caution when prescribing opioid pain medication and benzodiazepines concurrently and consider whether benefits outweigh risks of concurrent prescribing of opioids and other central nervous system depressants. (Source)
Recommendation Category: B
Evidence Type: 3
Recommendation11-patient-view-flow.png
Flow Diagram for Recommendation 11

  • When
    • There exists an active opioid analgesic with ambulatory misuse potential in the outpatient setting or
    • There exists an active benzodiazepine or other central nervous system depressant medication
    • Opioid review is useful for this patient:
      • Patient is 18 or over
      • Patient does not have evidence of sickle cell disease
      • Patient does not have findings indicating limited life expectancy
      • Patient does not have orders for therapies indicating end of life care
      • Patient is not undergoing active cancer treatment:
        • Patient has had at least 2 office visits within the past 12 months with an oncology specialist present, or
        • Patient has had at least 2 office visits within the past 12 months with a CDC malignant cancer condition diagnosis
      • Patient does not have conditions likely terminal for opioid prescribing present
    • Patient prescribed opioid analgesic with ambulatory misuse potential and benzodiazepine or other central nervous system depressant medication concurrently
  • Then
    • Use particular caution when prescribing opioid pain medication and benzodiazepines concurrently:
      • Document - Will modify prescription
      • Snooze - Benefits outweigh risks, snooze 3 months
      • Snooze - N/A see comment, snooze 3 months
The following table describes the flowchart decisions and sub-routines for the recommendation
Definition Answer to Proceed Details Data (Terminology) Requirement Profile Path
Opioid review useful? Yes See Opioid Review Useful sub-routine
Active order for opioid analgesics with ambulatory misuse potential Yes Review active medication orders for opioid analgesics with ambulatory misuse potential Opioid analgesics with ambulatory misuse potential MedicationRequest MedicationRequest.medication, and MedicationRequest.category
Active order for benzodiazepine medication or other central nervous system depressant? Yes Review active medication orders for benzodiazepine and other central nervous system depressant medications Benzodiazepine or other central nervous system depressant medications MedicationRequest MedicationRequest.medication, and MedicationRequest.category

Effective Data Requirements

The following artifacts formalize the description of the logic and behavior defined by this recommendation.

Resource Type Description
2022 CDC Clinical Practice Guideline Recommendation #11 Patient View PlanDefinition Event-Condition-Action rule that implements behavior for 2022 CDC Clinical Practice Guideline Recommendation #11 Patient View
Recommendation #11 Patient View - concurrent opioid pain medication and benzodiazepines or other central nervous system depressant prescriptions Library Defines the data requirements to support evaluation of recommendation #11 Patient View
Opioid Terminology Management Knowledge-base Data (OMTK) LibraryLibraryCQL Library that provides logic for implementation of opioid management functionality including Milligram Morphine Equivalents (MME).
Opioid Terminology Management Knowledge-base (OMTK) LibraryLibraryCQL Library that provides logic for implementation of opioid management functionality including Milligram Morphine Equivalents (MME).
Common Opioid Decision Support LogicLibraryCQL Library that provides common logic for the recommendations
Common OpioidCDS Configuration LogicLibraryCQL Library that provides common configuration logic for the recommendations
Common OpioidCDS Routines LogicLibraryCQL Library that provides common routines logic for the recommendations
FHIRHelpers Conversion LogicLibraryCQL Library that defines functions to convert between FHIR data types and CQL system-defined types, as well as functions to support FHIRPath implementation
DescriptionCDS Hooks RequestExpected Response
Patient is 18 or older. Patient is being prescribed Flurazepam Hydrochloride 15 MG Oral Capsule (RxNorm code 1298088), once per day for 30 days. Patient is also being prescribed 12 HR Oxycodone Hydrochloride 10 MG Extended Release Oral Tablet (RxNorm code 1049502), once per day for 30 days.
This triggers a message with the recommendation to avoid prescribing opioid pain medication and benzodiazepine concurrently with following three feedback options:
i. Revise
ii. Indicate that the benefits outweigh the risks and snooze for 3 months
iii. Indicate that it is not applicable, log a comment and snooze for 3 months
Request JSON Response JSON
Patient is 18 or older. Patient is being prescribed Flurazepam Hydrochloride 15 MG Oral Capsule (RxNorm code 1298088), once per day for 30 days. The patient will be excluded and no message will be triggered - an empty set of cards will be returned. Request JSON Response JSON
Patient is 18 or older. Patient is being prescribed Flurazepam Hydrochloride 15 MG Oral Capsule (RxNorm code 1298088), once per day for 30 days. Patient is also being prescribed 12 HR Oxycodone Hydrochloride 10 MG Extended Release Oral Tablet (RxNorm code 1049502), once per day for 30 days.
This triggers a message with the recommendation to avoid prescribing opioid pain medication and benzodiazepine concurrently with following three feedback options:
i. Revise
ii. Indicate that the benefits outweigh the risks and snooze for 3 months
iii. Indicate that it is not applicable, log a comment and snooze for 3 months
Request JSON Response JSON
Patient is 18 or older. Patient is being prescribed 12 HR Oxycodone Hydrochloride 10 MG Extended Release Oral Tablet (RxNorm code 1049502), once per day for 30 days. The patient will be excluded and no message will be triggered - an empty set of cards will be returned. Request JSON Response JSON
  • When
    • There exists an active opioid analgesic with ambulatory misuse potential in the outpatient setting or
    • There exists an active benzodiazepine or other central nervous system depressant medication
    • Opioid review is useful for this patient:
      • Patient is 18 or over
      • Patient does not have evidence of sickle cell disease
      • Patient does not have findings indicating limited life expectancy
      • Patient does not have orders for therapies indicating end of life care
      • Patient is not undergoing active cancer treatment:
        • Patient has had at least 2 office visits within the past 12 months with an oncology specialist present, or
        • Patient has had at least 2 office visits within the past 12 months with a CDC malignant cancer condition diagnosis
      • Patient does not have conditions likely terminal for opioid prescribing present
    • Patient prescribed opioid analgesic with ambulatory misuse potential and benzodiazepine or other central nervous system depressant medication concurrently
  • Then
    • Use particular caution when prescribing opioid pain medication and benzodiazepines concurrently:
      • Document - Will modify prescription
      • Snooze - Benefits outweigh risks, snooze 3 months
      • Snooze - N/A see comment, snooze 3 months

The following table describes the flowchart decisions and sub-routines for the recommendation
Definition Answer to Proceed Details Data (Terminology) Requirement Profile Path
Opioid review useful? Yes See Opioid Review Useful sub-routine
Active order for opioid analgesics with ambulatory misuse potential Yes Review active medication orders for opioid analgesics with ambulatory misuse potential Opioid analgesics with ambulatory misuse potential MedicationRequest MedicationRequest.medication, and MedicationRequest.category
Active order for benzodiazepine medication or other central nervous system depressant? Yes Review active medication orders for benzodiazepine and other central nervous system depressant medications Benzodiazepine or other central nervous system depressant medications MedicationRequest MedicationRequest.medication, and MedicationRequest.category

Effective Data Requirements

The following artifacts formalize the description of the logic and behavior defined by this recommendation.

Resource Type Description
2022 CDC Clinical Practice Guideline Recommendation #11 Patient View PlanDefinition Event-Condition-Action rule that implements behavior for 2022 CDC Clinical Practice Guideline Recommendation #11 Patient View
Recommendation #11 Patient View - concurrent opioid pain medication and benzodiazepines or other central nervous system depressant prescriptions Library Defines the data requirements to support evaluation of recommendation #11 Patient View
Opioid Terminology Management Knowledge-base Data (OMTK) LibraryLibraryCQL Library that provides logic for implementation of opioid management functionality including Milligram Morphine Equivalents (MME).
Opioid Terminology Management Knowledge-base (OMTK) LibraryLibraryCQL Library that provides logic for implementation of opioid management functionality including Milligram Morphine Equivalents (MME).
Common Opioid Decision Support LogicLibraryCQL Library that provides common logic for the recommendations
Common OpioidCDS Configuration LogicLibraryCQL Library that provides common configuration logic for the recommendations
Common OpioidCDS Routines LogicLibraryCQL Library that provides common routines logic for the recommendations
FHIRHelpers Conversion LogicLibraryCQL Library that defines functions to convert between FHIR data types and CQL system-defined types, as well as functions to support FHIRPath implementation

DescriptionCDS Hooks RequestExpected Response
Patient is 18 or older. Patient is being prescribed Flurazepam Hydrochloride 15 MG Oral Capsule (RxNorm code 1298088), once per day for 30 days. Patient is also being prescribed 12 HR Oxycodone Hydrochloride 10 MG Extended Release Oral Tablet (RxNorm code 1049502), once per day for 30 days.
This triggers a message with the recommendation to avoid prescribing opioid pain medication and benzodiazepine concurrently with following three feedback options:
i. Revise
ii. Indicate that the benefits outweigh the risks and snooze for 3 months
iii. Indicate that it is not applicable, log a comment and snooze for 3 months
Request JSON Response JSON
Patient is 18 or older. Patient is being prescribed Flurazepam Hydrochloride 15 MG Oral Capsule (RxNorm code 1298088), once per day for 30 days. The patient will be excluded and no message will be triggered - an empty set of cards will be returned. Request JSON Response JSON
Patient is 18 or older. Patient is being prescribed Flurazepam Hydrochloride 15 MG Oral Capsule (RxNorm code 1298088), once per day for 30 days. Patient is also being prescribed 12 HR Oxycodone Hydrochloride 10 MG Extended Release Oral Tablet (RxNorm code 1049502), once per day for 30 days.
This triggers a message with the recommendation to avoid prescribing opioid pain medication and benzodiazepine concurrently with following three feedback options:
i. Revise
ii. Indicate that the benefits outweigh the risks and snooze for 3 months
iii. Indicate that it is not applicable, log a comment and snooze for 3 months
Request JSON Response JSON
Patient is 18 or older. Patient is being prescribed 12 HR Oxycodone Hydrochloride 10 MG Extended Release Oral Tablet (RxNorm code 1049502), once per day for 30 days. The patient will be excluded and no message will be triggered - an empty set of cards will be returned. Request JSON Response JSON