NHTSA Office of EMS Marks International Overdose Awareness Day with New Resources

Photo U.S. Food and Drug Administration A file photo of various opioid cessation products. This August 31, communities around the world will recognize International Overdose Awareness Day, an especially meaningful event as our nation continues to fight an epidemic of deaths from opioids and other substances. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Office of EMS joins in observing this day and acknowledging the important role that EMS clinicians and systems can have in preventing and mitigating the effects of substance use. EMS and the Opioid Crisis The opioid epidemic impacts EMS across the nation every day. EMS clinicians serve on the frontlines, responding to overdoses and related emergencies, often the first contact with the healthcare system for people struggling with addiction. EMS systems also collect vast amounts of data during these encounters that have been used by public health agencies and other organizations at local, state and national levels to inform efforts to reduce overdose deaths. This month, NHTSA debuted a new online resource on the opioid crisis on ems.gov, offering resources for the EMS community, its partners in public health, public safety and healthcare, and the public.  LEARN MORE ABOUT THE OPIOID CRISIS HERE Evidence-Based Approach Earlier this year, after a thorough review of the published scientific literature, a group of experts created and published an evidence-based guideline for the administration of naloxone by EMS. The...
Source: JEMS Patient Care - Category: Emergency Medicine Tags: News Patient Care Press Releases Source Type: news