Duane Boise discusses what we can do in order to mitigate the impact of the opioid crises on our healthcare system.

1. HOW TO ACTIVELY
PREVENT THE OPIOID
CRISIS
D U A N E B O I S E

2. Many do not realize the extent of the opioid
crisis and how it affects the healthcare
industry. From dispatchers to doctors, the
resources that the healthcare system has is
continuously drained steadily by those that
suffer because of their addiction.
Without realizing it, the effects of the opioid
crisis on our healthcare is catastrophic.
Instead, of handling other emergency
situations, time and money are spent
stabilizing overdose patients and taking them
to the hospital. Emergency rooms are
becoming limited, and insurance rates will rise
to cover the cost of used medical resources.
Emergency resource funds are feeling the
strain from over taxation and increased
amount of calls for overdose accidents.
If we had taken a preventable step in
prescribing opioids to patients, time and
money could be saved. What can be done to
prevent patients from becoming addicted to
opiates?

3. One step is to increase training for
doctors and nurses and how to spot
the symptoms of opioid addiction.
This doesn’t have to just pertain to
doctors and nurses, either. Time
should be taken to talk to the
patient’s families and make them
aware of what to look out for. The
family is going to be one of the first
lines of defense to prevent the
patient from becoming addicted.
Educate them on the long-term
effects of using opioids.
I N C R E A S E D
T R A I N I N G

4. As a doctor, you are going to be the
first preventative step to lower
opioid addiction cases. When
speaking to your patients, screen
them for conditions that could
worsen due to the use of opioids,
that could include heart failure and
sleep apnea. If they are not a good
fit because of an already existing
condition, then there needs to be a
discussion for alternative
treatment.
S C R E E N P A T I E N T S

5. When prescribing medication, it is
important to reevaluate why the
patient was prescribed the opioid in
the first place. If they no longer
require the medication, then they
can be prescribed an alternative
medication that will work for them.
R E E V A L U A T E P A T I E N T S

6. In the end, some of your patients
may need to be prescribed
medication to deal with their
chronic pain. Look for alternative
medications that they can be given
that are nonopioids to deal with it. If
they must be given an opioid, then
give them the lowest amount
possible to effectively deal with
their pain.
W A T C H I N G H O W Y O U
P R E S C R I B E

7. Ideally, a patient will come off of
using opioids when they do ensure
that they are aware of the side
effects of what can occur moving
forward. Begin to have the
conversation about opioid therapy
in order to give them the best
chance to not deal with the
aftereffects of long-term opioid use.
A F T E R T H E F A C T
O P I O I D T R E A T M E N T