Doctors Hospital and Richmond County Sheriff’s Office collected 265 pounds of opioid medications during its “Crush the Crisis” opioid take back day to help combat the nation’s opioid crisis. Nearly 150 community members participated in the event by dropping off unused and expired prescription medications.

“We are extremely pleased with the success of the event and the impact this event will have on our community.  Our partnership with the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office made the event possible and they will ensure the medication is disposed of properly,” said Dr. John Farr, Chief Medical Officer of Doctors Hospital.

As an affiliate of HCA Healthcare, Doctors Hospital is part of a health system that also uses science of “big data” to reduce opioid misuse and transform pain management, with initiatives in surgical, emergency and other care settings including:

Enhanced Surgical Recovery (ESR)/ALTernatives to Opioids in the Emergency Room (ALTO in the ER): HCA Healthcare focuses on a multi-modal approach to acute pain management. This means two or more methods or medications are employed to reduce the need to use opioids to manage a patient’s pain while recovering from surgery or in the emergency room. 

Electronic Prescribing of Controlled Substances (EPCS): Physicians have access to aggregated electronic health records that make it more difficult for medication-seekers to doctor-shop or alter prescriptions.

Approximately 65 HCA Healthcare facilities participated in a “Crush the Crisis” opioid take back day in their communities on September 7, 2019.

For people who missed the event and would like to dispose of their medication. The Richmond County Sheriff’s Office has secured prescription drop boxes in the Main Lobby of the Sheriff’s Headquarters, 400 Walton Way, Augusta, GA 30901 and at the Richmond County Health Department, 950 Laney Walker Boulevard, Augusta, GA 30901.