NEPA Vital Signs - Winter 2019 Spring 2020 - 25

WINTER 2019-2020

Feature

LACKAWANNA
RECOVERY
COALITION
B

efore being elected DA, I had an
active civil practice where I worked
with many clients who were disabled
and using opioid medications as palliative
care. I also had the pleasure of working
with many of their treating physicians, PAs
and Nurse Practitioners who were doing
their best to treat patients in chronic pain.
I became intimately familiar with insurance
company billing practices and what was
deemed reasonable and necessary to treat
an individual's disability.

Based on my experience both in private practice and as District Attorney, I
believe most providers are doing their
best to balance patient needs and follow
appropriate protocols when prescribing
opioid medication. Unfortunately, I have
also seen cases where providers' prescribing practices have fallen well out of the
recommended prescribing guidelines and
fueled patients' addiction. Prosecution of
those practitioners has had the unfortunate consequence of making others more
hesitant to prescribe medications that
are truly needed.

come up with solutions to help solve this the benefit of the citizens of Lackawanna
problem as well as reduce opioid-related County. We've helped develop a Warm-Handdeaths in our county.
off Program to get people with substance use
disorder into recovery after an emergency
On Oct. 19, 2019, Geisinger and the room visit. We have distributed Narcan
Coalition hosted a free continuing medical and educated our first responders and law
education program at the Commonwealth enforcement officers on how to use the
School of Medicine in Scranton called opioid overdose-reversal drug. We have
"Caring for Patients with Pain and Avoiding also worked with them to reduce the stigma
Legal Consequences." The program included associated with overdose deaths so that first
a number of presentations, including best responders and police have access to and are
prescribing practices for opioid pain medi- willing to use Narcan as a life-saving treatcations. Along with Brian Gallagher, deputy ment. In addition, we continue to educate
of our narcotics unit, we discussed the law the community about opioid use disorder
enforcement perspective on prescription and treatment options through social media
opioids. Several experts also participated in and community outreach programs.
a panel discussion at the end of the program,
graciously hosted by WBRE's Mark Hiller.
My work with the Coalition continues to
expand my knowledge to help me do my job
It was inspiring to see physicians, res- as District Attorney. I have learned a great
idents, advanced practitioners, dentists, deal by discussing issues with medical prosocial workers, counselors, pharmacists fessionals regarding treating patients who
and medical students all coming together need ongoing pain medication. I am excited
to learn more about how they can take the about the feedback I heard after this CME
best possible care of their patients. Caring event, and hopeful that this program will
for most patients requires a team effort, help all providers understand law enforcebut the team required in caring for patients ment's view on opioid prescriptions. The
who use and abuse opioids is a large and more we can understand each side of the
diverse one, and this program gave all in discussion, the closer we will get to solving
attendance an idea of the vast framework the opioid epidemic.
in place to help the citizens of Lackawanna
County who need this assistance, as well as
MARK J. POWELL, ESQ., District
the providers who care for them.
Attorney, Lackawanna County

Since being sworn in as District Attorney of Lackawanna County, I have had the
pleasure of co-chairing the Lackawanna
Recovery Coalition, a group of community-minded individuals from the medical
profession, recovery community, social
service organizations, first responders, and
The Coalition has made great strides in
law enforcement - all working together to bringing people and resources together for

N E PA

VITAL SIGNS

NEPA Vital Signs - Winter 2019 Spring 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of NEPA Vital Signs - Winter 2019 Spring 2020