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sam001
Journeyman


Reged: 02/03/04
Posts: 69
Loc: Nordstroms
Re: Prescription Rx Abuse Comprehensive Plan
      03/01/04 10:53 PM

I find the notation of the increases in the emergency departments on the increase use/abuse questionable at best. I've worked in ERs and know how difficult it is to report reliable info to various agencies. Partly because the agency requesting information does not clearly identify the requirements. For example, during the flu epidemics, all cases that had only fever and some flu symptoms were reported and turned out to not actually be the flu. The reporting requirements were so vague, it was clearly someones best guess as to what to send to various agency. By the way, not all disease reporting is this vague, such as STD's.

The info that the government has put out recently said that Oxycodone and Hydrocodone "mentions" have increased in the Emergency Department records in the past few years. What exactly is a "mention". That the word occurs somewhere in the record? Maybe the doctor prescribed it. Or maybe the patient asked, "would vicodin help me?". So what if it's mentioned more. It shoud be. People are more assertive and dealing with healthcare professionals, and this is great. And narcotic "mentions" have overtaken benzodiazapines in "mentions" in the Emergency Department from 1995 to 2002. I don't know that "mentions" somehow equate to addiction, diversion and/or overdose. The vast majority of people seeking treatment in the ER is for pain relief. Let's also not forget with the decline of people covered with health insurance, ERs turn in to primary care facilities. So that the sprained ankle we had 5 years ago, we used to get our regular docs to call in a script and get an xray at the office the next morning. Those days are gone for many people as doctor's offices can turn away people without insurance or $$$. ERs can't.

Will some statistition please help me understand this. I really question drug abuse increases as a conclusion when the criteria is "mentions".

No doubt there is a desire by Bush to have a war on drugs, including prescription drugs. Manipulating data is not a new concept, it would be interesting to have some valid studies that would help deflate this process or give the opposition some ammunition to fight back. It's hard for me to swallow the "facts" that have been presented by Bush's new plan on dealing with prescription pain medication addiction.

Anna, thanks for posting this. Found it an interesting read.

My 2 cents.

Edited by sam001 (03/02/04 09:12 AM)

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Subject Posted by Posted on
* Prescription Rx Abuse Comprehensive Plan sigmund 03/01/04 03:24 PM
. * * Re: Prescription Rx Abuse Comprehensive Plan buey   03/01/04 05:35 PM
. * * Re: Prescription Rx Abuse Comprehensive Plan night_shade   03/01/04 09:05 PM
. * * Re: Prescription Rx Abuse Comprehensive Plan buey   03/02/04 07:45 AM
. * * Re: Prescription Rx Abuse Comprehensive Plan sam001   03/01/04 10:53 PM
. * * Re: Prescription Rx Abuse Comprehensive Plan Caveman6666   03/02/04 07:30 AM
. * * Re: Prescription Rx Abuse Comprehensive Plan night_shade   03/02/04 03:11 PM

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