Opioid Alternative Project
The IHA Opioid Alternative Project is a groundbreaking pilot program that aims to reduce the administration of opioids in hospital Emergency Departments across New York State.
Contact Staff Representative
Vice President
518-348-7443
Director, Communications & Marketing
518-348-7457
Over the past several years, drug overdose has become the leading cause of accidental death in the United States. It is estimated that nearly 2 million Americans have an opioid use disorder. In fact, opioid painkillers are notoriously known for being the driving force in the rise of substance abuse and lethal overdoses. Both federal and state government, as well as the public, has called for reform. Hospital emergency departments (EDs) and emergency medicine physicians are at the forefront of this reform.
That is why IHA developed the Opioid Alternative Project, a groundbreaking pilot program aimed at reducing the administration of opioids in New York State EDs. Modeled after a similar initiative in Colorado, the IHA Opioid Alternative Project takes a unique approach to pain management by administering alternatives to opioids (ALTOs) for certain conditions. Those conditions include:
- Musculoskeletal pain
- Headache
- Renal colic
- Dental pain
- Abdominal pain
IHA Opioid Alternative Project Clinician Training Materials
The IHA Opioid Alternative Project is designed in a train-the-trainer style so that it can be implemented in new EDs by each facilities’ project champions after they have received training from Iroquois Healthcare Association experts. IHA has developed training materials, guidelines and in-person training sessions to help each ED implement the Opioid Alternative Project successfully. Below, please find these materials for your reference.
IHA Clinician Training Video
IHA Clinician Training Presentation
IHA Treatment Guidelines
Opioid Free Pain Options by Indication at Discharge
Media Links
Modern Healthcare
New York state to create pilot project to encourage ER docs to prescribe opioid alternatives
Utica Observer Dispatch
Project's goal: Prescribing fewer opioids
Albany Times Union
Capital Region hospital ERs join pilot to reduce opioid use
Watertown Daily Times
Upstate hospitals join pilot program to reduce ER opioid use
WSKG/NPR/PBS
Hospitals join pilot program to reduce opioid use in ERs
Utica Observer Dispatch
Pain patients have options, doctors say
The Saratogian
Saratoga Hospital offers hope in local opioid crisis