New signs in Vidant RCH ED for controlled substance reporting database
Published 9:24 am Thursday, July 6, 2017
AHOSKIE – With the growing opioid epidemic, Vidant Roanoke-Chowan Hospital’s emergency department recently installed new signs alerting patients they participate in the North Carolina Controlled Substance Reporting System.
“We’ve seen an increase in the abuse of opioids (prescription pain drugs) in recent years in our service area,”
The Emergency Department team at Vidant Roanoke-Chowan Hospital recently installed new signage. From left are Dr. Joe Tripp, ED medical director, Dee Dee Morris, RN, ED nurse manager, Dr. Masud Baksh, ED physician, and Lisa Paitsel, PA.
states Dr. Joe Tripp, medical director for the emergency department. “We do not write prescriptions for chronic pain medications in our emergency department and we actively use the state database to identify patient’s receiving medications from other providers.”
The sign reads: “Vidant Roanoke-Chowan Hospital actively participates in the North Carolina Controlled Substance Reporting System.”
This statewide reporting system was established by North Carolina law to improve the state’s ability to identify people who abuse and misuse prescription drugs classified as Schedule II-V controlled substances (Defined). It is also meant to assist clinicians in identifying and referring for treatment patients misusing controlled substances.
Dr. Tripp also serves as the medical director of emergency medical services in Hertford County where the abuse of prescription pain drugs is on the rise.
Recently, the community-based coalition, Hertford County Project Lazarus, installed Pill Drop Boxes for people to safely dispose of unused or wanted pain drugs. These are located in Murfreesboro at Colonial Pharmacy and in Ahoskie at Mizelle’s Discount Drugs.
Area law enforcement agencies have received training on using Naloxone in treatment of drug overdose and new Naloxone kits have been distributed to county law enforcement by the Project Lazarus Coalition.