Welcome to another episode of The Call Room! On today’s episode, we’re going to talk about a topic that resonates with a lot of us, one that has affected many in our community: the opioid crisis.

As a healthcare provider, I have seen many patients dealing with serious, sometimes extreme pain, and my job is to help them deal with this pain and often, this involves prescribing opiates. However, with the new regulations and laws surrounding this new epidemic, these prescriptions are becoming more difficult, resulting in certain people and communities being disproportionately affected by how they receive treatment.

On today’s episode, we’re going to look at how the opioid epidemic started, the effect the “fifth vital sign” has had on its growth, and why new laws can make necessary treatment for patients difficult.

“Where was all of this concern before and why all of a sudden now do we consider it a crisis?” – Dr. Robert Berry

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Show Notes:

• Why Robert is skeptical of the new opioid crisis
• How new regulations regarding opioid abuse has changed how doctors prescribe them
• Why opioids may not be to blame for their likelihood of addiction
• The fifth vital sign and how it has played a part in the prescribing of opioids
• Why healthcare providers need the final say in how painkillers are dispersed
• Who is negatively impacted by laws surrounding the opioid crisis

“While we appreciate our leaders helping us, I’m not sure that this is really helping the majority of patients, and it may be hurting a vast majority.” – Dr. Robert Berry