OAR 13 in Partnership With Shore Medical Center
A New Program to Attack the Source
THE PROJECT
OAR 13 & Shore Medical Center have made exciting strides combatting the Epidemic through multiple new programs and initiatives. Check out the details!
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“We have taken several measures to attack the problem at its core, including instituting new evidenced-based programs for pain management,” said Mathew Piskun, administrative director of Pharmacy for Shore Medical Center.
He continued, “We’ve also changed the metric that we look at for opioid use. We are now focusing on giving patients the minimum amount of doses required for pain management, and the length of time patients receive opioids for pain relief.”
To date, OAR13 has donated $40,000 to Shore Medical Center to help in the fight against opioid abuse. These funds support new initiatives and programs implemented at Shore Medical Center, including:
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Inpatient and Emergency Department Powerplans. These updated plans include evidence-based multimodal pain management strategies.
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IV push diphenhydramine (Benadryl) restriction.
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Implemented to deter drug-seeking behavior due to the euphoric effects of administering diphenhydramine quickly.
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Administration of IV diphenhydramine is still permitted as an IV piggyback of more than 30-60 minutes for patients who require this medication for the itching often experienced after receiving high doses of IV opioids.
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Naloxone Discharge Kits: Shore is providing Naloxone Discharge Kits to patients who present to Shore Medical Center after an opioid overdose or who display signs/symptoms of opioid and/or IV drug abuse. A Naloxone Discharge Kit Contains: one dose of nasal naloxone, information on how to use nasal naloxone for patients and caregivers, a JTAC Alcohol and Drug Treatment Resource Guide, and New Jersey Syringe Access Program Information
Shore is also piloting a Pharmacy Pain Consult Service as a pharmacy resident research project. Providers can contact a pharmacist to perform a comprehensive chart review and provide patient-specific pain management recommendations.
Exciting News!!!
2022's Donation and Program Updates
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THE HARD TRUTH
Roughly 21 to 29 percent of patients prescribed opioids for chronic pain misuse them
Between 8 and 12 percent develop an opioid use disorder
An estimated 4 to 6 percent who misuse prescription opioids transition to heroin
About 80 percent of people who use heroin first misused prescription opioids