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In 2015 CHI St. Gabriel's Health received a State Innovation
Model grant to focus on a targeted population of patients using narcotics for
chronic pain. Emergency room data showed that the number one reason for
emergency department visits at St. Gabriel's Hospital was patients seeking
narcotics for pain. A multi-disciplinary care team was created to treat each of
these patients face-to-face, focusing on the cause of their pain. The Morrison
County Prescription Drug Task Force was also formed to enhance community
collaboration on this project as significant medication diversion became
readily apparent. Together, CHI St. Gabriel's and the task force held a community
forum in October 2016 to build awareness, educate and encourage the community
to lock medications and properly dispose of unused medications. The team at CHI
St. Gabriel's Health has reduced prescribing of opioids in the amount of 9,000
pills each month for the first 127 patients overusing opioids. Hospital
pharmacy costs have been reduced by $738,000 annually in pharmaceutical savings
for just those 127 patients. Less prescribing offers not only a cost savings,
but, more importantly, provides a better quality of life for patients and a
safer community now and for the future.
This video depicts the work done by the Morrison County ACH
in order to combat opioid abuse: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HiE8OA6hupI
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