The State Legislature passed legislation to address the opioid crisis during the 2017 session. ASHNHA supported HB 159 and collaborated with the Department of Public Health to ensure that the bill’s provisions were workable in the inpatient and emergency department environments. ASHNHA is currently working to implement an ED coordination project which the association brought forward in a bill that passed in 2016. Through the project, Alaska’s emergency department physicians agreed on statewide narcotic prescribing guidelines, which have been implemented. 

HB 159 included the following provisions:

• Allows patients to execute a voluntary non-opioid directive.
• Enables Alaskans to request partial refills of opioid prescriptions from pharmacists without voiding the remainder of the prescription.
• Limits first-time opioid prescriptions to no more than a 7-day supply (with exceptions).
• Strengthens reporting and education requirements for health care providers and pharmacists.
• Requires the controlled substance prescription database to be updated daily rather than weekly.

Resources

• Stem the Tide, Addressing the Opioid Epidemic – The American Hospital Association (AHA)
• 2017 ASTHO President’s Challenge: Public Health Approaches to Preventing Substance Misuse and Addiction
• Alaska Emergency Department Opioid and Controlled Substances Prescribing Guidelines
• Pain Management & Opioid Prescribing Guidelines – Baylor, Scott & White Health
• CDC Assessing and Addressing Opioid Use Disorder Module
• Healthcare Distribution Alliance: Practical Solutions to Address Opioid Abuse and Misuse
• Alaska DHSS Resources
• SAMHSA Opioid Prescribing Courses for Health Care Providers
• SAMHSA TIP 63: Medications for Opioid Use Disorder – Executive Summary
• Order health promotional and educational pamphlets for your facility
• Collective Medical Helps Providers Identify and Prevent Opioid Abuse
• Prescription Opioids: What Alaskans Need To Know – Brochure, DHSS

Opioid Storage and Disposal Materials

• Opioid Storage and Disposal Poster
• Opioid Storage and Disposal Rack Card
• Opioid Disposal and Storage Pharmacy Bag
• Opioid Disposal and Storage Bill Stuffer

Videos

• Murkowski on addressing the opioid crisis
• With Opioids, Not Sharing is Caring – Opioid PSA Message
• Dr. Joshua Sonkiss, medical director of the Fairbanks Community Mental Health Services talks about the science of addiction at the Alaska Health Summit.
• In an effort to combat the growing epidemic of prescription drug and heroin abuse, the FBI and DEA have released “Chasing the Dragon: The Life of an Opiate Addict,” a documentary aimed at educating students and young adults about the dangers of addiction.