Hospital sees drop in emergency department patients after crack down on pain meds.
Posted by CEP America on Wed, Jun 16, 2010 @ 07:39 AM
People coming into the emergency department hoping to score illegal pain medications are a widespread concern for emergency physicians.
But as recently reported on Starnews.com, one North Carolina hospital's crackdown on powerful painkillers for emergency department patients has led to something very interesting. A quieter ED.
People Dosher Memorial Hospital has seen "a bit of a decline in the emergency department in the number of patients that we’re seeing,” said hospital spokesperson Kirk Singer. “We believe it’s a pretty direct result of the passage and publicizing of our policy.”
The story goes on to state that the crackdown on painkillers in the ED was adopted in December of last year. Emergency department physicians would no longer use or prescribe Schedule II, III or IV narcotics for patients who come in with ongoing, chronic conditions.
The drugs in question include codeine, oxycondone and morphine among other narcotics. The new rule – while strict – is not Draconian. It's not meant for patients who come into the emergency department after a painful accident or aliment and legitimately require painkillers for their situation.
Instead, Singer said, it was directed to people who visit frequently with complaints of migraines, back and neck pain, dental pain, fibromyalgia or other chronic pain syndromes out of concern they could be faking to get the pain medicines.
In these cases, the emergency department must direct these people to their primary care physicians if they need a new prescription or are given a list of area clinics if they don’t have a primary doctor. They also might get info about resources for substance abuse counseling and treatment.
According to Singer, “There are a number of people out there who have been shopping for pain medication, and it’s a real problem when they start using controlled substances and prescription medications. In talking with the folks in law enforcement, we’re told by them, that it is a real problem not only in our community but statewide and across the country.”
Is Dosher hospital's new rule the secret to "emergency department overcrowding"? Not likely. But it is an interesting approach to a longstanding problem.