Recent data shows that health care providers are prescribing more opioid pain medicine. An unintended consequence of this prescribing has been an increase in overdose deaths, hospitalizations, and substance abuse treatment admissions. In addition, teens are using prescription opioid medication to get high. The cause of this public health problem and its solutions are complex.

As part of the solution, WA-ACEP and the Washington State Department of Health convened an emergency department provider workgroup and created emergency department guidelines for opioid prescribing.

Provider guidelines are available here
Patient educational posters are available here.

Our goal is to have a consistent, statewide message for patients in Washington State.  Please hang the large poster (20 x 30) in your waiting room, and smaller posters (11 x 17) in exam or triage rooms.

If you have any questions, please contact Jennifer Sabel at the DOH via email jennifer.sabel@doh.wa.gov or Pauline Proulx via email plp@wsma.org.