Scottish Rite for Children Dallas
In the U.S., leftover prescription opioids are a leading source of misuse – fueling a crisis that impacts adolescents and contributing to high morbidity and mortality. At Scottish Rite for Children, spinal fusion for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis accounted for about 7% of surgeries but carried one of the highest postoperative opioid prescribing rates.
From left to right: Dr. Brandon Ramo (Orthopedic Surgeon), Kelli Terpstra (Assistant Chief Nursing Officer), Angie Buckmeier (Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer), Charu Sharma (Director of Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement), Matt Chance (Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer)
In 2017, Scottish Rite launched a multidisciplinary, data-driven initiative to standardize prescribing, cut unused narcotics and maintain effective pain control.
Key Strategies included:
- Physician education on overprescribing risks
- Clear dosage limits and phased reductions
- Pharmacy-led family education and tapering guides
- EMR-integrated alerts for real-time prescription checks
- Guideline expansion to other orthopedic procedures
- Ongoing training for new clinical staff
Using the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) methodology and after four PDSA cycles, opioid prescriptions for AIS patients dropped 27.8% by 2024, compliance with guidelines rose from 97.7% to 99.2% and patient satisfaction with pain control remained steady or improved. This initiative proves that responsible opioid prescribing and excellent patient care can go hand in hand, offering a scalable model for pediatric orthopedic practices nationwide.
Please join us in congratulating Scottish Rite for Children Dallas for receiving the 2025 Bill Aston Award for Quality.
THA Bill Aston Award for Quality
The Texas Hospital Association Bill Aston Award for Quality honors hospitals’ measurable success in improving quality and patient outcomes through the sustained implementation of a national and/or state evidence-based patient care initiative.