Bay County Chamber of Commerce issued the following announcement.
PANAMA CITY, FL, October 11, 2021– Gulf Coast Regional Medical Center announced today that it is hosting its annual opioid take back event to raise awareness about the dangers of opioid misuse and proper disposal of medications on Saturday, October 23, 2021 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Called “Crush the Crisis,” the event aligns with the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) National Prescription Drug Take Back Day and invites community members to safely and anonymously dispose of unused or expired prescription medications.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 70,630 Americans died from drug overdoses in 2019, with more than 70% attributed to opioids. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, the U.S. is seeing an increase in opioid usage, and it is possible that a significant number of opioid addictions and overdose deaths come from individuals accessing unused opioids prescriptions of family and friends. Locally, 71 Bay County residents died from drug overdoses, with 58% attributed to opioids.
“Opioid addiction is a national health crisis, and it is imperative that we get unused pain medications out of homes where they can easily end up in the wrong hands,” said Dr. Neil Kooy, chief medical officer of Gulf Coast Regional Medical Center. “We invite you to join us for this year’s ‘Crush the Crisis’ to properly dispose of your unused medications and help us in educating the community about the serious threat of opioid misuse.”
Law enforcement officers from the Bay County Sheriff’s Department will be collecting tablets, capsules and patches of Hydrocodone (Norco, Lortab, Vicodin), Oxycodone (Oxycontin, Percocet), Tramadol (Ultram), Codeine, Fentanyl (Duragesic), Morphine, Hydromorphone (Dilaudid) and Oxymorphone (Opana). All medications are accepted, however needles, syringes, lancets, inhalers or liquids will not be accepted. COVID-19 safety protocols will be in place at the event, including masking and social distancing.
Gulf Coast Regional Medical Center is participating as part of HCA Healthcare’s third annual national “Crush the Crisis” opioid take back day. In October 2020, 95 HCA Healthcare facilities in 18 states collected 13,523 pounds of unused and expired prescription medications at “Crush the Crisis” events around the country.
To further help combat the nation’s opioid crisis, HCA Healthcare, the parent company of Gulf Coast Regional Medical Center, proudly partners with and provides clinical insight to the National Academy of Medicine’s (NAM) Action Collaborative on Countering the U.S. Opioid Epidemic. HCA Healthcare has committed $750,000 to the Collaborative to support the development of safer pain management protocols and reversal of the opioid crisis.
As a learning health system, HCA Healthcare uses data from approximately 32 million annual patient encounters to help continuously improve care. The organization uses the science to reduce opioid misuse and transform pain management, with initiatives in surgical, emergency and other care settings, including:
- Enhanced Surgical Recovery (ESR): a multi-modal approach to pain management that has demonstrated significant improvements in surgical recovery and a drastic reduction in the use of opioids. HCA Healthcare data from 86,820 joint replacement, gynecologic oncology, colorectal and bariatric surgeries using ESR in 2020 revealed an up to 26 percent reduction in opioid usage for these patients. As of August 2021, ESR is live at 168 HCA Healthcare facilities, with the goal to make ESR the standard of care for all service lines.
- Electronic Prescribing of Controlled Substances (EPCS): aims to stem increasing rates of opioid-related addiction, misuse diversion and death by making it more difficult for medication-seekers to doctor-shop and alter prescriptions. Physicians have access to aggregated electronic health record (EHR) providing data that will allow them to prescribe opioids judiciously.
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About Gulf Coast Regional Medical Center
Gulf Coast Regional Medical Center is a 223–bed acute care hospital proudly serving Bay County and surrounding communities for 40 years. The hospital was recently named a Joint Commission Top Performer on Key Quality Measures® – heart failure, heart attack, pneumonia, surgical care, and perinatal care – for the fourth consecutive year and has achieved certifications for its stroke and wound care. Located in Panama City, Florida, its team of more than 600 providers and 1,000 employees work to ensure patients receive the highest quality of care every day. With the area’s only designated Pediatric ER, four-bed Pediatric ICU and 28-bed NICU, the hospital is ready to care for our youngest residents. The hospital has the only Accredited Chest Pain Center with Primary PCI as recognized by the Society of Cardiovascular Patient Care. Additionally, the hospital’s cancer program is accredited by the Commission on Cancer and the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC). These designations enhance the hospital’s quality of care and demonstrate its commitment to higher, measurable standards of care.
About HCA Healthcare North Florida Division
The HCA Healthcare North Florida Division is a comprehensive network of 15 hospitals, numerous outpatient surgery centers & imaging facilities, physician practices, medical education training programs and a complete continuum of specialized health programs and services that meet the healthcare needs of residents and businesses in the North Florida and Central Florida communities. HCA Healthcare North Florida physicians and employees continue to provide the quality foundation for delivering care to our patients safely, effectively and compassionately. Its hospitals are Joint Commission Accredited, with designations such as Accredited Chest Pain Centers, Primary Stroke Center Certification and four Level II Trauma Centers in Marion, Okaloosa, Osceola and Seminole county.
Original source can be found here.
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