Barton Health Earns a Spot on 2021 Opioid Care Honor Roll, Opioid Programs Making a Difference for Lake Tahoe Community
(South Lake Tahoe, CA) – Barton Health has earned a spot on California 2021 Opioid Honor Roll as a ‘Superior Performer’—recognized for innovative opioid stewardship, as well as ‘Most Improved’—for notable improvements in programs since the last award period in 2020. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, nearly 50,000 people in the United States died from opioid-involved overdoses in 2019. The misuse of and dependence on opioids—including prescription pain relievers, heroin, and synthetic opioids such as fentanyl—is a serious national crisis that affects public health as well as social and economic welfare. This achievement demonstrates the efficacy of Barton’s evidence-based practices and programs that are directly addressing the opioid crisis in our community.
Barton has implemented a medication-assisted treatment (MAT) program offered through the Barton Community Health Center, which is a unique program that uses a combination of medication and support counseling to address opioid use disorder in patients experiencing withdrawal. These components, when used in tandem, have been proven effective in the treatment of opioid use disorders and can help some people to sustain recovery.
“Addressing the opioid epidemic is a dedicated and collaborative effort that requires ongoing and steadfast support from many different angles,” said Dr. Jacob Marquette, Hospitalist and Medical Director of Barton’s MAT Program. “We’re committed to reducing opioid use in and out of the hospital. Medication-assisted treatment is one component, and we are also working with partners to create awareness and involve family members in the recovery process improving success.”
In addition, Barton’s Opioid Stewardship Committee collaborates to build standardized opioid management throughout the hospital and outpatient care settings. Barton implements safe prescribing guidelines, and consistently utilizes a multimodal approach, offering alternatives to opioids for pain management. This is especially important in total joint and spine procedures, where opioids are often used for adequate pain management, but the risk of misuse is high.
For more information about Barton Health and available services, visit BartonHealth.org.
