A huge contributor to the opioid epidemic is the over-prescription of pain medication. In other words, a big percentage of those addicted get their start at the doctor’s office. And that fact is driving a number of research-based pain reduction techniques and technologies. The idea: if we have alternative pain treatment methods, we don’t have to risk writing the original prescription. Ohio is leading the way, this article from Scientific American has the details.
Quick commentary: Minot stakeholders are moving aggressively to close the service gaps that families and addicts encounter when seeking help for opioid addiction, but one assumption we may be relying on is that doctors have the latest, best information about emerging pain management practices. If that assumption is false, we may need to be intentional about helping our healthcare professionals find their way to the best information and practices.
