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

PlanDefinition: Recommendation #7 - Opioid Therapy Risk Assessment (Experimental)

Official URL: http://fhir.org/guides/cdc/opioid-cds/PlanDefinition/opioidcds-07 Version: 2022.1.0
Draft as of 2025-04-24 Computable Name: PlanDefinition_Recommendation_07_Order_Sign
Other Identifiers: cdc-opioid-guidance (use: official, )

Usage:Clinical Focus: Medication requested (situation), Clinical Focus: Chronic pain (finding), Clinical Focus: 

Copyright/Legal: © CDC 2016+.

Clinicians should evaluate benefits and risks with patients within 1-4 weeks of starting opioid therapy for subacute or chronic pain or of dosage escalation. Clinicians should regularly reevaluate benefits and risks of continued opioid therapy with patients.

The 2022 CDC Clinical Practice Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Pain is intended to improve communication between clinicians and patients about the benefits and risks of pain treatments, including opioid therapy; improve the effectiveness and safety of pain treatment; mitigate pain; improve function and quality of life for patients with pain; and reduce risks associated with opioid pain therapy, including opioid use disorder, overdose, and death. The recommendations do not apply to pain related to sickle cell disease or cancer or to patients receiving palliative or end-of-life care.

Id: opioidcds-07
Url: Recommendation #7 - Opioid Therapy Risk Assessment
Version: 2022.1.0
Identifier:

value: cdc-opioid-guidance

Name: PlanDefinition_Recommendation_07_Order_Sign
Title: Recommendation #7 - Opioid Therapy Risk Assessment
Status: draft
Experimental: true
Type:

system: http://terminology.hl7.org/CodeSystem/plan-definition-type

code: eca-rule

display: ECA Rule

Date: 2025-04-24
Publisher: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Description: Clinicians should evaluate benefits and risks with patients within 1-4 weeks of starting opioid therapy for subacute or chronic pain or of dosage escalation. Clinicians should regularly reevaluate benefits and risks of continued opioid therapy with patients.
Logic Definitions:
Library NameNamesequence
OpioidCDSREC07 Chronic Pain Opioid Analgesic with Ambulatory Misuse Potential Prescriptions 0
define "Chronic Pain Opioid Analgesic with Ambulatory Misuse Potential Prescriptions":
  ( Common."Is Opioid Analgesic with Ambulatory Misuse Potential?"( ContextPrescriptions ) ) AmbulatoryOpioidPrescription
    where Routines."Is Subacute or Chronic Pain Prescription?"( AmbulatoryOpioidPrescription )


Library NameNamesequence
OpioidCDSREC07 Patient Is Being Prescribed Opioid Analgesic with Ambulatory Misuse Potential 1
define "Patient Is Being Prescribed Opioid Analgesic with Ambulatory Misuse Potential":
  exists( "Chronic Pain Opioid Analgesic with Ambulatory Misuse Potential Prescriptions" )


Library NameNamesequence
OpioidCDSRoutines Patient Age Less Than 18 2
define "Patient Age Less Than 18":
  if (Config."Age Less than 18 Years Is Enabled") then
    AgeInYearsAt(Today()) < 18
  else false


Library NameNamesequence
OpioidCDSRoutines Condition Positive for Sickle Cell 3
define "Condition Positive for Sickle Cell":
  if (Config."Sickle Cell Check Enabled") then
    exists(
      Common."Positive Sickle Cell Condition"
    ) 
  else false


Library NameNamesequence
OpioidCDSRoutines Is Active Cancer Treatment? 4
define "Is Active Cancer Treatment?":
  if (Config."Active Cancer Treatment Encounters Condition Is Enabled") 
    then "Has Two or More Encounters with Cancer Diagnosis During Encounter Period"
      or "Has Active Cancer Diagnosis on Problem List"
  else false


Library NameNamesequence
OpioidCDSRoutines Conditions Likely Terminal for Opioid Prescribing 5
define "Conditions Likely Terminal for Opioid Prescribing":
  if (Config."End-Stage Disease Criteria Enabled") then
    exists (
      Common."US Core-Categorized Conditions" EOLC
        where EOLC.code in Common."Conditions likely terminal for opioid prescribing"
          // and EOLC.clinicalStatus in Common."Active Condition"
    )
  else false


Library NameNamesequence
OpioidCDSRoutines Is Opioid Review Useful? 6
define "Is Opioid Review Useful?":
  not "Patient Age Less Than 18"
    and not "Condition Positive for Sickle Cell"
    and not "Is Active Cancer Treatment?"
    and not "Conditions Likely Terminal for Opioid Prescribing"


Library NameNamesequence
OpioidCDSREC07 Risk Assessment Interval 7
define "Risk Assessment Interval":
  Interval[Today() - 91 days, Today() - 1 day]


Library NameNamesequence
OpioidCDSREC07 Opioid Risk Assessment in Past 90 Days 8
define "Opioid Risk Assessment in Past 90 Days":
  [Procedure: Common."Opioid misuse assessment procedure"] riskAssessment
    where start of (riskAssessment.performed as FHIR.Period) in day of "Risk Assessment Interval"


Library NameNamesequence
OpioidCDSREC07 Previous 10 Days Interval 9
define "Previous 10 Days Interval":
  Interval[Today() - 10 days, Today()]


Library NameNamesequence
OpioidCDSREC07 Encounter Interval 10
define "Encounter Interval":
  Interval[Today() - 12 months - 1 days, Today() - 1 day]


Library NameNamesequence
OpioidCDSREC07 Prescribed Opioids for 7 of Past 10 Days with an Encounter 11
define "Prescribed Opioids for 7 of Past 10 Days with an Encounter":
  Common."Days on Opioids during Period"( "Previous 10 Days Interval" ) >= 7
    and exists (
      [Encounter: Common."Office Visit"] AmbulatoryEncounter
        where AmbulatoryEncounter.period during "Encounter Interval"
    )


Library NameNamesequence
OpioidCDSCommon First Month 12
define "First Month":
Interval[Today() - 3 months, Today() - 2 months]


Library NameNamesequence
OpioidCDSCommon Second Month 13
define "Second Month":
Interval[Today() - 2 months, Today() - 1 months]


Library NameNamesequence
OpioidCDSCommon Third Month 14
define "Third Month":
Interval[Today() - 1 months, Today()]


Library NameNamesequence
OpioidCDSCommon Prescribed Opioids for 21 or more of 30 Days for each of the past 3 Months 15
define "Prescribed Opioids for 21 or more of 30 Days for each of the past 3 Months":
  "Days on Opioids during Period"("First Month") >= 21
    and "Days on Opioids during Period"("Second Month") >= 21
    and "Days on Opioids during Period"("Third Month") >= 21


Library NameNamesequence
OpioidCDSREC07 Inclusion Criteria 16
define "Inclusion Criteria":
  "Patient Is Being Prescribed Opioid Analgesic with Ambulatory Misuse Potential"
    and Routines."Is Opioid Review Useful?"
    and not exists ( "Opioid Risk Assessment in Past 90 Days" )
    and (
      "Prescribed Opioids for 7 of Past 10 Days with an Encounter"
        or Common."Prescribed Opioids for 21 or more of 30 Days for each of the past 3 Months"
    )


Library NameNamesequence
OpioidCDSCommon US Core-Categorized Conditions 17
// 3. Medications indicating end of life
    /* or exists (
      "Medications Indicating End of Life"
    ) */

define "US Core-Categorized Conditions":
  [Condition: category in "Encounter Diagnosis Condition Category"]
    union [Condition: category in "Problem List Condition Category"]
    union [Condition: category in "US Core Health Concern Condition Category"]


Library NameNamesequence
OpioidCDSCommon Conditions Indicating End of Life or With Limited Life Expectancy 18
define "Conditions Indicating End of Life or With Limited Life Expectancy":
  (
    "US Core-Categorized Conditions" C
      where C.code in "Conditions likely terminal for opioid prescribing"
        and C.clinicalStatus in "Active Condition"
  )
  union
  (
    "US Core-Categorized Conditions" C
      where C.code in "Limited life expectancy conditions"
        and C.clinicalStatus in "Active Condition"
  )


Library NameNamesequence
OpioidCDSCommon Admitted/Referred/Discharged to Hospice Care 19
define "Admitted/Referred/Discharged to Hospice Care":
  (
    if (Config."Hospice Findings Exclusion Enabled") then
      [Observation: code in "Hospice Finding Codes"] O
        where not (O.status.value in { 'unknown', 'entered-in-error', 'cancelled' })
    else
      {}
  )
  union
  (
    [Encounter] E
      where date from E.period.start 1 year or less on or before Today()
        and (
          if E.hospitalization.dischargeDisposition.coding is null
              or not exists (E.hospitalization.dischargeDisposition.coding)
            then false
          else E.hospitalization.dischargeDisposition in "Hospice Disposition"
        )
        and E.status.value in { 'planned', 'arrived', 'in-progress', 'finished', 'onleave' }
  )


Library NameNamesequence
OpioidCDSCommon End of Life Assessment 20
define "End of Life Assessment":
    // 1. Conditions indicating end of life or with limited life expectancy
    exists (
      "Conditions Indicating End of Life or With Limited Life Expectancy"
    )
    // 2. Admitted/referred/discharged to hospice care
    or exists (
      "Admitted/Referred/Discharged to Hospice Care"
    )


Library NameNamesequence
OpioidCDSREC07 Exclusion Criteria 21
define "Exclusion Criteria":
  Common."End of Life Assessment"


Library NameNamesequence
OpioidCDSREC07 Is Recommendation Applicable? 22
define "Is Recommendation Applicable?":
  "Inclusion Criteria"
    and not "Exclusion Criteria"


Library NameNamesequence
OpioidCDSCommon Is Opioid Analgesic with Ambulatory Misuse Potential? 23
define function "Is Opioid Analgesic with Ambulatory Misuse Potential?"(value List<MedicationRequest>):
  ("Get MedicationRequest Medication as Code"(value)) Rx
    where Rx.medication in "Opioid analgesics with ambulatory misuse potential" 
      and Rx.category in "Community"


Library NameNamesequence
OpioidCDSCommon Get MedicationRequest Medication as Code 24
define function "Get MedicationRequest Medication as Code"(value List<MedicationRequest>):
  value Rx
    let Med: 
      if Rx.medication is Reference then singleton from (
        [Medication] M
          where M.id = (Last(Split((Rx.medication as FHIR.Reference).reference, '/')))
      ) else null
    return 
      MedicationRequest {
        id: Rx.id,
        status: Rx.status,
        intent: Rx.intent,
        category: Rx.category,
        medication: if Rx.medication is Reference then Med.code else Rx.medication as CodeableConcept,
        subject: Rx.subject,
        authoredOn: Rx.authoredOn,
        recorder: Rx.recorder,
        dosageInstruction: Rx.dosageInstruction,
        dispenseRequest: Rx.dispenseRequest
      }


Library NameNamesequence
FHIRHelpers ToConcept 25
define function ToConcept(concept FHIR.CodeableConcept):
    if concept is null then
        null
    else
        System.Concept {
            codes: concept.coding C return ToCode(C),
            display: concept.text.value
        }


Library NameNamesequence
OpioidCDSRoutines Is Subacute or Chronic Pain Prescription? 26
// End of Active Cancer Treatment Routine

/*
**  Routine #4
**  For Subacute or Chronic Pain Routine
**
**  Definition                  | Answer to Proceed   | Details                                        | Data (Terminology) Requirement
**  -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
**  Order for opioid analgesic  | Yes                 | Order for opioid analgesics with ambulatory    | Opioid analgesics with
**  with expected supply        |                     | misuse potential with a supply duration of >=  | ambulatory misuse potential
**  duration >= 28 days         |                     | 28 days                                        |
**                              |                     |                                                |
**                              |                     | - Subacute definition = order for opioid       |
**                              |                     |   analgesics with ambulatory misuse            |
**                              |                     |   potential with a supply duration of one to   |
**                              |                     |   two months.                                  |
**                              |                     | - Chronic pain definition = order for opioid   |
**                              |                     |   analgesics with ambulatory misuse            |
**                              |                     |   potential with a supply duration of >= two   |
**                              |                     |   months.                                      |
**  -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
**
*/

define function "Is Subacute or Chronic Pain Prescription?"(prescription FHIR.MedicationRequest):
  "Is Subacute or Chronic Pain Using Expected Supply Duration"(prescription)
    or "Is Subacute or Chronic Pain Using Validity Period"(prescription)


Library NameNamesequence
OpioidCDSRoutines Is Subacute or Chronic Pain Using Expected Supply Duration 27
define function "Is Subacute or Chronic Pain Using Expected Supply Duration"(prescription FHIR.MedicationRequest):
  (
    prescription.dispenseRequest is not null
      and prescription.dispenseRequest.expectedSupplyDuration is not null
      and (
        Common.GetDurationInDays(prescription.dispenseRequest.expectedSupplyDuration) >= 28 days 
      )
  )


Library NameNamesequence
OpioidCDSCommon GetDurationInDays 28
define function GetDurationInDays(value FHIR.Duration):
  if value is null then null
  else
    case
      when value.code.value ~ 'a' then System.Quantity{ value: value.value.value * 365.0, unit: 'days' }
      when value.code.value ~ 'mo' then System.Quantity{ value: value.value.value * 30.0, unit: 'days' }
      when value.code.value ~ 'wk' then System.Quantity{ value: value.value.value * 7.0, unit: 'days' }
      when value.code.value ~ 'd' then System.Quantity{ value: value.value.value, unit: 'days' }
      when value.code.value ~ 'h' then System.Quantity{ value: value.value.value / 24.0, unit: 'days' }
      when value.code.value ~ 'min' then System.Quantity{ value: value.value.value / 60.0 / 24.0, unit: 'days' }
      when value.code.value ~ 's' then System.Quantity{ value: value.value.value / 60.0 / 60.0 / 24.0, unit: 'days' }
      when value.code.value ~ 'ms' then System.Quantity{ value: value.value.value / 60.0 / 60.0 / 24.0 / 1000.0, unit: 'days' }
      when value.code.value is null then Message(1000, true, 'Undefined', 'Error', 'Duration unit code is null')
      else Message(1000, true, 'Undefined', 'Error', 'Unsupported duration unit code: ' + value.code.value)
end


Library NameNamesequence
OpioidCDSRoutines Is Subacute or Chronic Pain Using Validity Period 29
define function "Is Subacute or Chronic Pain Using Validity Period"(prescription FHIR.MedicationRequest):
  (
    prescription.dispenseRequest is not null
      and prescription.dispenseRequest.validityPeriod is not null
      and (
        days between prescription.dispenseRequest.validityPeriod.start and prescription.dispenseRequest.validityPeriod.end >= 28 
      )
  )


Library NameNamesequence
FHIRHelpers ToDateTime 30
define function ToDateTime(value dateTime): value.value


Library NameNamesequence
FHIRHelpers ToInterval 31
define function ToInterval(period FHIR.Period):
    if period is null then
        null
    else
        if period."start" is null then
            Interval(period."start".value, period."end".value]
        else
            Interval[period."start".value, period."end".value]


Library NameNamesequence
OpioidCDSCommon Days on Opioids during Period 32
define function "Days on Opioids during Period"(period Interval<Date>):
  Sum(
    (
      collapse (
        [MedicationRequest: "Opioid analgesics with ambulatory misuse potential"] OpioidPrescription
        return "Prescription Relevant Period"( OpioidPrescription ) intersect period
      )
    ) OpioidUseInterval
      return days between start of OpioidUseInterval and end of OpioidUseInterval
  )


Library NameNamesequence
FHIRHelpers ToString 33
define function ToString(value string): value.value


Library NameNamesequence
OpioidCDSCommon Prescription Relevant Period 34
define function "Prescription Relevant Period"(prescription FHIR.MedicationRequest):
  if (
    prescription.authoredOn is not null and prescription.dispenseRequest is not null
      and prescription.dispenseRequest.expectedSupplyDuration is not null
  )
  then Interval[
    date from prescription.authoredOn,
    date from prescription.authoredOn + GetDurationInDays(prescription.dispenseRequest.expectedSupplyDuration)
  ]
  else null


Knowledge Capability: shareable computable executable publishable
Use Context:
codevaluedisplay
focus 182888003 Medication requested (situation)
focus 82423001 Chronic pain (finding)
focus
Purpose:

The 2022 CDC Clinical Practice Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Pain is intended to improve communication between clinicians and patients about the benefits and risks of pain treatments, including opioid therapy; improve the effectiveness and safety of pain treatment; mitigate pain; improve function and quality of life for patients with pain; and reduce risks associated with opioid pain therapy, including opioid use disorder, overdose, and death. The recommendations do not apply to pain related to sickle cell disease or cancer or to patients receiving palliative or end-of-life care.

Usage: In addition to evaluating benefits and risks of opioids before starting opioid therapy (see Recommendation 2), clinicians should evaluate patients to assess benefits and risks of opioids within 1-4 weeks of starting long-term opioid therapy or of dosage escalation.
Copyright:

© CDC 2016+.

Related Artifacts:

Documentation

Libraries:
Library - Recommendation #7 - Opioid Therapy Risk Assessment
Actions:
Regularly Evaluate the Benefits and Risks of Opioid Therapy: Recommend that clinicians evaluate benefits and risks with patients within 1-4 weeks of starting opioid therapy for subacute or chronic pain or of dosage escalation. Clinicians should also regularly reevaluate the benefits and risks of continued opioid therapy with patients. For additional guidance regarding opioid therapy patient consultations, see [Recommendation 7 of the 2022 CDC Clinical Practice Guideline for additional guidance](https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/71/rr/rr7103a1.htm#Recommendation7)
When: Named Event: order-sign
If: Applicability: Check whether the patient has a current order is for an opioid with ambulatory misuse potential for subacute or chronic pain, a risk assessment has been performed in the past 90 days, has taken an opioid with abuse potential for 7 of the past 10 days or 63 of the past 90 days and if an opioid review is appropriate. (Is Recommendation Applicable?)
Then:
: Document - Conducted benefit and risk assessment
Then:
: Snooze* - Conducted assessment, snooze 3 months
Then:
: Snooze* - N/A see comment, snooze 3 months
Then: