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Medical Center Considers Changing Opioid Prescribing Policy
By: Associated Press
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CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) – Officials from Charleston Area Medical Center may consider changing their policies on prescribing opioid.
The Charleston Gazette-Mail reports that CAMC chief operating officer Dr. Glen Crotty told members of the hospital’s board of directors Wednesday that the hospital system would consider placing more limits on what can be prescribed in its emergency rooms. Crotty says the hospital system is working on limiting prescriptions from 30 or 45 days to about five days.
The announcement follows recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the West Virginia Hospital Association, which are cautioning against filling long-term opioid prescriptions.
The guidelines recommend that doctors avoid opioids as a first choice when treating musculoskeletal pain. They also recommend that doctors should attempt to treat pain without medication or opioid medication.