Evaluation of the impact of a prescribing guideline on the use of intraoperative dexmedetomidine at a tertiary academic medical center

Objective: To evaluate usage patterns of dexmedetomidine in the operating room after implementation of a prescribing guideline. Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis to evaluate the impact of a prescribing guideline on usage patterns of dexmedetomidine in the operating room at a tertiary, academic medical center during one-month period pre- (July 2010) and post-guideline (July 2011 and July 2012) implementation. Results: A total of 267 patients received intraoperative dexmedetomidine during the study period. Dexmedetomidine use in surgical procedures decreased post-guideline implementation [5.7% (pre) vs. 1.9% and 3.3% (post)]. The most common guideline-based indication for intraoperative dexmedetomidine was for anesthesia during bariatric surgery (41% and 38% in 2011 and 2012, respectively). We estimated a cost-avoidance of $308,856 over the two-year period after guideline implementation. Conclusion: Our results suggest that implementation of a prescribing guideline for the use of dexmedetomidine in the operating room is feasible and associated with improved utilization patterns.