Check Out The RWJF Opioid Challenge Semi-Finalists!

By JOHN EL-MARAGHY and CHANLY PHILOGENE The opioid crisis has devastated countless families and individuals across the United States and abroad. What once started as a quiet concern has become a full-blown epidemic, requiring the full support and attention of the healthcare and tech communities to address it. From the Surgeon General’s August 2016 letter on Opioid Addiction: “I am asking for your help to solve an urgent health crisis facing America: the opioid epidemic. Everywhere I travel, I see communities devastated by opioid overdoses. I meet families too ashamed to seek treatment for addiction. And I will never forget my own patient whose opioid use disorder began with a course of morphine after a routine procedure.” Those affected by substance misuse need support catered to their specific needs and resources to empower them on the path to recovery. To answer that call, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Catalyst @ Health 2.0  teamed up for the  RWJF Opioid Challenge, an innovation challenge intended to highlight technology-enabled tools that can help support and connect individuals affected by opioid addiction. The recovery process can be complicated and stressful; not only for individuals, but also for their family, friends, and the people around them. Issues with communication, education, mindfulness, support, and others are all avenues that can be addressed by innovative and pioneering technologies. One hundred teams submitted their applications to con...
Source: The Health Care Blog - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Catalyst @ Health 2.0 Source Type: blogs