What hasn’t grabbed headlines is that in the 12 months ending May 2020 there were over 81,000 overdose deaths in the U.S. “This represents the highest number of overdose death ever recorder in a 12 month period.”
Source:
https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2020/p1218-overdose-deaths-covid-19.html
The above should be place in perspective. We have:
- 690,000 deaths annually from heart disease
- 598,00 annually from cancer
- 100,000 annually from diabetes
- 53,000 annually from influenza
- 340,00 attributed to COVID 19 in 2020
Source: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2778234
We have masks and free vaccines for COVID-19 and influenza but no such interventions for addiction. Street signs are visible to lead us to COVID testing sites and free vaccinations.
In contrast, we have the following for addiction treatment:
- Insurance and hospital directories don’t list providers who provide medically assisted therapy.
- Most healthcare networks don’t have referral plans to send overdose ER patients to outpatient treatment for follow up
- Many Emergency room and primary care providers are inexperienced with treating and identifying addiction.
- Most health care networks treatment programs are based solely on inpatient treatment and many patients are left without outpatient follow up.
- Patients often feel stigmatized by pharmacist when filling prescriptions for Medically assisted therapy a.k.a Suboxone, Subutex or Buprenophine.
- Insurance companies will deny the use of schedule III medications in favor of less expensive and more addictive medications for pain in order to save money.
Our Marietta, Georgia office provides medically assisted therapy using: Suboxone, Subutex, Sublocade, Belbucca to name a few of the Burprenorphine medications available. We also have a network of counselors to provide treatment and support.
We are advocates of insurers listing providers that provide medically assisted therapy as a separate directory listing.
We advocate major insurance plans and health networks educating their staff on the use of Buprenoprhine formulations to assists with addiction treatment.
We FIRMLY advocate that health care networks and insurers provide coverage for addiction counseling.
As the above issues have been poorly addressed by our healthcare system, Acupuncture and Injury provides services to alleviate the systemic deficiency.
We offer:
- Acupuncture for the treatment of pain.
- We have a network of counselors that we refer people to for addiction treatment to name a few of those interventions.
If you or a loved one is seeking care for addiction treatment or you feel you have exhausted treatment options for pain. Please give us a call before resorting to opiates as your sole means of pain control. Our treatment goal and trademark is to have you “pain free without pillsTM”
Contact Dr. James Granger
Phone: 678-247-2115
