HCA Healthcare collects 15,566 pounds of medication during 2021 “Crush the Crisis” opioid take back events

We’re proud to announce that HCA Healthcare collected a record-breaking 15,566 pounds of unused and expired medications, exceeding last year’s record of 13,523 pounds, during our third annual “Crush the Crisis” opioid take back events on October 23, 2021. A total of 96 HCA Healthcare facilities at 98 separate locations across 17 states held events that were aimed at educating communities on the dangers of opioid misuse and the importance of safe and proper disposal of expired and unused prescription medications.

The events collectively disposed of an estimated 10.7 million doses of medication, eliminating the adverse possibility of potential misuse.

“We are delighted at the continued success of our ‘Crush the Crisis’ events that help get medications out of homes where they can more easily end up in the wrong hands,” said Dr. Randy Fagin, chief medical officer of HCA Healthcare’s National Group. “We are thankful to everyone that joined us to make a difference in our common fight against the opioid epidemic.”

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, the U.S. has seen an increase in opioid usage with all 50 states reporting a spike or increase in overdose deaths since the pandemic began. HCA Healthcare’s “Crush the Crisis” events were held in alignment with the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, which collected 744,082 pounds of medication.

HCA Healthcare facility events with the greatest amount of medication collected this year include:

• Chippenham Hospital and Johnston-Willis Hospital in Richmond, Virginia collected 789 pounds
• The Medical Center of Aurora in Aurora, Colorado collected 625 pounds
• Methodist ER Legacy Trails in San Antonio, Texas collected 602 pounds
• Ocala Health in Ocala, Florida collected 515 pounds
• Medical City Arlington in Arlington, Texas collected 468 pounds

As a learning health system, HCA Healthcare uses data from approximately 32 million annual patient encounters to help continuously improve care. Our organization uses the science of “big data” to reduce opioid misuse and transform pain management, with initiatives in surgical, emergency and other care settings, including:

• Enhanced Surgical Recovery (ESR): a multi-modal approach to pain management that has demonstrated significant improvements in surgical recovery and a reduction in the use of opioids. HCA Healthcare data from more than 86,000 joint replacement, gynecologic oncology, colorectal and bariatric surgeries using ESR in 2020 revealed an up to 26% reduction in opioid usage compared to those surgeries without the use of ESR. As of August 2021, ESR is live at 168 HCA Healthcare facilities, with the goal to make ESR the standard of care for all service lines.

• Electronic Prescribing of Controlled Substances (EPCS): aims to stem increasing rates of opioid-related addiction, misuse diversion and death by making it more difficult for medication-seekers to doctor-shop and alter prescriptions. EPCS allows physicians to have access to aggregated electronic health records which can provide data that will help them to prescribe opioids judiciously.

For more information on “Crush the Crisis,” visit www.hcahealthcare.com/campaigns/crush-the-crisis.