Heroin: Now The Leading Cause Of Death In Americans Under 50

The Unites States of America is facing the worst health care crisis of our nation’s history. Over the past two-year period, more Americans died of opiate addiction than died in the entire Vietnam War. Drug overdoses now cause more deaths than gun violence and car crashes. In fact, accidental opioid overdoses are responsible for more deaths in 2015 than HIV/AIDS did at the height of the epidemic in 1995. However, the AIDS epidemic can be the blueprint for the United States approach to the opioid epidemic. Once America became mobilized against AIDS, Congress orchestrated intensive efforts devoted to training and supporting clinicians, many of whom were new to the treatment of viral infections in immunocompromised patients. Immediately, a collaboration led to one standardized set of treatment guidelines that were implemented through newly formed AIDS Education and Training Centers. Funding was provided to connect patients with capable providers of wrap-around social services supported by grants from the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program. Once America becomes mobilized against the heroin epidemic, similarly, social workers, nurse care managers, and outreach workers could be deployed strategically to help obtain substance-abuse treatment in primary care settings, and funding incentives authorized by the Affordable Care Act (ACA), such as health homes and accountable care organizations, could help cover the costs. The current treatment guidelines for opioid addiction just do ...
Source: Healthy Living - The Huffington Post - Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news