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The National Rural Health Resource Center is a nonprofit organization dedicated to sustaining and improving health care in rural communities.

As the nation’s leading technical assistance and knowledge center in rural health, The Center focuses on five core areas:

  • Transition to Value and Population Health
  • Collaboration and Partnership
  • Performance Improvement
  • Health Information Technology
  • Workforce 

Dec 14, 2018

The Opioid Epidemic has been spreading throughout America, including rural America. There is a recognition that healthcare providers and facilities need to step up to combat this epidemic. Our rural Michigan Emergency Department recognized this problem and made up a plan to take action six years ago. We will discuss how to set up and implement a program designed to limit opioid prescribing in a rural ED, and one that offers patients different resources to help with their narcotic addiction or dependencies.

Objectives

  • Gain an understanding of the dangers of the increasing rate of prescription drug abuse in the United States
  • Gain an understanding of the major components needed to develop an "oxy-Free Emergency Department
  • Identify patients who exhibit narcotic medication-seeking behavior
  • Develop and implement a plan for managing patients seeking narcotic prescription medications in the Emergency Department