Intermountain Lowers Opioid Prescriptions by 30%—and Isn’t Done Yet

Intermountain started trying to discourage drugseekers from preying on its urgent care centers years ago, before opioid abuse was recognized as the crisis it is today. It’s no surprise, then, that the company launched a successful internal campaign to lower the number of opioid prescriptions its providers issued. However, the 30% reduction they just announced is unsatisfactory in their own eyes, having set a goal of reducing them by 40%. So, the company has vowed to dig deeper in 2019 to reduce opioid prescriptions by another 5%. None of this is to say they’re not rightfully proud of what they’ve done so far. It’s made progress on other fronts, too, most notably:

• Surpassing its goal to boost medically assisted treatment for opioid use disorders by more than 10%
• Lowering the number of patients who are prescribed both opioids and benzodiazepines—a combination known to suppress breathing
• Offering naloxone kits for purchase without a prescription, and helping to fun additional kits for a nonprofit organization in its home state of Utah