Substance misuse remains a major public health concern, and WSHA is working to improve opioid prescribing practices, prevent future opioid dependence, reduce overdoses and increase access to treatment. According to the November 17, 2021, CDC National Center for Health Statistics press release, there was an estimated 100,306 drug overdose deaths in the United States during the 12-month period ending April 2021, an increase of 28.5% from the 78,056 deaths during the same period in the prior year.
Getting Started
- Receive WSHA’s opioid quarterly prescribing feedback reports using the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program database. The reports offer state and peer benchmarks on prescribing and have been successful in reducing opioid-related harms in the community.
- Leverage the Starts with One Provider Toolkit to help communicate safest opioid practices to your patients and gain access to opioid prevention resources. The toolkit includes posters, rack card, talking points and customizable in both English and Spanish.
- Learn more from the Washington State Department of Health about how you can help with safe medication disposal.
- Prescribe and distribute naloxone to patients at risk of opioid overdose. WSHA supports emergency departments prescribing and dispensing the overdose reversal medication naloxone. Learn more about the state’s naloxone law.
- Initiate medication-assisted therapy (MAT) for patients suffering from opioid use disorder. WSHA is assisting this work, in alignment with the American College of Emergency Physicians.
For more information contact Abby Berube at [email protected].