Question

Analyze past and present quality initiatives that address the health issue of the opioid crisis. Include both public and private sources.

Answer 1

OPIOID CRISIS (PAST AND PRESENT ) IN PUBLIC SOURCES:Opioid overdose has recently become the leading cause of death and has been steadily increasing over the past decade. Rising statistics of emergency room visits, deaths and dependency related to opioids results in an alarming trend which has the government seeking solutions. The crisis has reached beyond the risks it poses to public health, a threat to national security. In the past, opioid medications are commonly prescribed to treat pain. Health care providers have reported feeling pressure to prescribe opioid medications rather than alternatives such as physical therapy or accupuncture and other related treatments are costly or less accessible. Federal agencies, state governments, insurance providers and physicians all influence the supply of opioid medication.

OPIOID CRISIS (PAST AND PRESENT) IN PRIVATE SOURCES: Opioids provide immediate comfort to a person in pain, but result in other miseries when prescribed on a long term basis. Recent studies suggest that opioid overdose has resulted in misuse and addiction. In the past, to address the threat to addiction, the medical community has set safe use policies and abuse deterrent pills. Finally they had a disastrous results leading to worst drug epidemic in many parts of the countries. Now enough opioids are prescribed each year to keep every man, woman and child on them around the clock for one month which means it is used for short periodsof time to treat acute pain, for the treatment of cancer and at the end of life.