VA discloses opioid prescription rates for hospitals nationwide
March 03, 2018
It is no secret that an opioid problem is plaguing the nation’s veteran population. In an effort to continue its goal of transparency, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) recently made public data on opiate prescription rates at its medical centers nationwide.
In January the VA started publicly posting the information for the first time in the hopes of raising awareness about proper use of the medications. The data is posted on the department’s website. The move makes the VA the country’s first hospital system to openly disclose details on opioid use.
Medical professionals frequently prescribe opioids to help patients manage their chronic pain. While they are medically necessary at times, studies indicate the pills can be highly addictive and harmful if taken on a long-term basis. Experts say opioid use has risen dramatically in recent years. Among the highest prescription rates reported was at a VA hospital in Roseburg, Oregon.
In 2012, the VA launched an opioid safety initiative to reduce the amount of medication prescribed to veterans. According to the data, almost all VA medical centers have seen a decrease in their opioid prescription rates since then, with an overall drop of 41 percent.
VA Secretary David Shulkin said he hoped sharing the data would provide a more clear idea as to which VA facilities are successfully taking action to fight the problem. In order to minimize the reliance on opioids, the agency has increasingly been turning to alternative treatments such as meditation, yoga and physical therapy.