Paterson Hospital First In Nation To Stop Using Opioid Painkillers

PATERSON, N.J. — St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center in Paterson recently announced it is the first hospital in the country to begin managing emergency room patients' pain without the use of opioid drugs such as oxycodone and vicodin, according to PIX11.com.

St. Joseph's Regional Medical Center will no longer use opioid drugs as the first line of defense in treating pain.
Photo Credit: *COURTESY: St. Joseph's Regional Medical Center*

K Reakes

03/29/2016 6:30 p.m.

The hospital said it took the step to help prevent patients going from painkillers to addiction and hopes others will follow by helping to come up with other forms of pain management, said PIX11.com.

St. Joseph’s Emergency Department told PIX11 that they have already treated some 250 patients with alternative medicine or treatments. Opioids will still be used by to treat chronic pain, but will no longer be the first choice, added PIX11.com.

Click here to read the PIX11.com report.

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