Cherokee Iowa — A nearby hospital in Cherokee is one of the first four hospitals in the state to sign up for a program underway in Iowa.
The program is using opioid settlement funds to provide opioid prevention toolkits for surgery patients as part of the “Billion Pill Pledge” that’s designed to cut the use of prescription painkillers. Goldfinch Health is administering the program in conjunction with the Iowa Attorney General’s Office. Doctor John Greenwood co-founded the company and says their approach involves teaching how to cut opioid use.
The toolkits also contain what’s called an RX destroyer to deal with extra painkillers.
The education includes what’s called “Enhanced Recovery”, to better prepare patients before surgery. Greenwood says that involves educating providers that the old notion you can’t eat or drink anything after midnight the night before your operation doesn’t fit. You can have a clear drink up to two hours prior to your operation.
He says there’s also education on the proper timing of pain medication.
The preparation before the surgery also helps patients use less medication after surgery.
The Cherokee Regional Medical Center is joined by Floyd Valley in Le Mars, Decatur County Hospital in Leon and the Regional Medical Center in Manchester to be the first four hospitals to sign up. Greenwood says they will be rolling out more soon.
