Addressing a Population in Pain 

The Opioid Abuse Epidemic: A Problem Across The Entire Care Continuum

Did you know that every day more than 130 people in the United States die from overdosing on opioids? Many factors have intersected to drive the rate and reach of the opioid epidemic. Prescribing practices have played a substantial role, but those practices have been shaped in turn by circumstances ranging from medical issues—increases in chronic diseases, new surgical interventions, and professional calls for better pain management.

This epidemic of abuse with significant human cost is a serious national crisis with an impact on the physical, mental, and economic health of the country. In this article, we explore the cost of the crisis and how environments across the entire care continuum are taking the necessary steps to combat this epidemic.