CGH INSTITUTES NEW NARCOTIC DRUG POLICY

MOREHEAD CITY - County hospital officials are taking steps to stem the
rising use of narcotics among patients, which ranks highest among
counties in this part of the state and double the state rate for youth.

In an effort to address the potential for abuse of narcotics, Carteret
General Hospital is changing the chronic pain management protocol in
the Emergency Department.

Hospital officials said that because of increased concerns about the
abuse of narcotics in the community, the hospital emergency department
will discourage the use of narcotics except when absolutely necessary.
The hospital is also implementing a review panel to monitor narcotic
usage.

Dr. Vivek Parwani of Emergency Medicine Physicians will lead the
review panel.

"Individuals who have frequent or multiple visits to the emergency
department seeking relief from painful conditions will be considered
to have chronic pain," according to a statement from CGH. "In these
cases, narcotic pain medication will not be prescribed for them at
discharge. Alternative resources will be provided. The emergency
department is always available for treatment of emergency conditions
and medical stabilization. No patients will ever be denied care."

Hospital officials said prescription drug abuse has become a leading
public health issue in North Carolina and throughout the nation.
There is abundant data showing that prescribed opioid abuse is
contributing significantly to criminal activity, emergency room visits
and substance abuse among teens.

In North Carolina there is a direct link between counties with high
rates of controlled substance reporting and high rates of death due to
accidental poisonings and drug overdose.

At CGH, patients will be encouraged to maintain a more in-depth and
consistent treatment plan with their regular doctor.

"It is the patient's responsibility to maintain active prescriptions
with their primary care physician to treat their pain," CGH officials
said. "We encourage individuals to plan ahead and make sure that they
have a plan to manage their pain and to refill narcotic pain
medications before the prescription runs out."

Carteret County has the highest rate of controlled substance
prescribing among Eastern North Carolina counties.

"We have the third highest per capita death rate (in the state)
secondary to narcotic overdose," according to the statement. "Youth
in Carteret County report higher usage of prescribed painkillers for
non-medical purposes than their peers throughout North Carolina."

CGH said prescribed painkillers are used by 16.3 percent of Carteret
County youth compared with 7.2 percent of North Carolina youth for
non-medical purposes.

The number of unintentional fatal poisonings in North Carolina has
grown from 228 in 1997 to 901 in 2007 according to the N.C. State
Center for Health Statistics.

"Our objective is to keep patients safe when treating them," hospital
officials said.