Features
Opioid clock Staff report
CMS leader develops visual to educate physicians on the opioid epidemic The Colorado Medical Society is featuring a new graphic and interactive online tool to educate the public on the opioid epidemic. Designed and developed by incoming CMS President Deb Parsons, MD, FACP, the clock – available as a onepage graphic and interactive online tool with links to evidence-based resources and references – displays six drivers of the crisis from the positions of one o’clock to six o’clock and six categories of solutions from seven o’clock to 12 o’clock. A link for patients lies in the center and a real-time counter at the end “ticks” off 12 deaths/
minute. The clock is not meant to be chronological and will continue to evolve. Parsons created the idea for the opioid epidemic clock out of her “deep concern with the staggering statistics of opioid deaths and addiction,” she said. Like many physicians, she frequently heard stories of lives lost and lives affected by opioids. She worked on the opioid clock as a fellow of the Regional Institute for Health and Environmental Leadership (RIHEL) program.
vidual to use the opioid clock to spread knowledge and understanding of the causes of and the necessary solutions of the opioid crisis. She urges stakeholders to use the clock during crucial conversations with everyone from the uninitiated to topic experts and specifically with the lay public, affected individuals and families, legislators and health care professionals. “Key points to understand are that addiction is a chronic disease and is not a moral failure. Everyone has a role and everyone can help reverse the crisis,” she said.
Parsons’ vision is to empower any indiParsons recently presented the clock at the Public Health in the Rockies conference. It can be seen on the following page and online at www.members.cms.org/clock. n
Health care professionals and patients share best practices and personal stories in fight against opioid abuse disorder
Deb Parsons, MD, FACP, recently presented the new opioid clock graphic and interactive online tool at the Public Health in the Rockies conference during a presentation of “Lift the Label,” a public awareness campaign that strives to remove damaging labels and stigmas that prevent those with opioid abuse disorder from seeking effective treatment. Parsons is pictured with the Lift the Label presentation team, Cristen Bates, director of Strategy, Communications and Policy, Office of Behavioral Health, CDHS; and Taylor Wright and Blair Hubbard, patients who presented personal stories about addiction and recovery.
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Colorado Medicine for September/October 2018