Addiction Treatment Aided By Hospital

WILKES-BARRE, Pa. - July 6, 2018 - PRLog -- A local hospital has been providing medication-assisted treatment (MAT) to county patients since September.

The MAT clinic is one of Geisinger South Wilkes-Barre Hospital's numerous programs and facilities improvements, including the newly reopened Emergency Department.

Pennsylvania has been greatly affected by the opioid crisis. The Luzerne County Coroner's Office reported that 155 drug overdoses occurred in the county last year. Fentanyl and heroin were the leading causes of overdose deaths.

The MAT clinic staff prescribes patients buprenorphine and naltrexone to reduce withdrawal symptoms and opioid cravings. Doctors offer counseling services as well. Physicians are also helping reduce the number of other addictive prescription medications patients are taking. However, if people are found abusing their medications, they will be discharged from the program.

The MAT clinic has helped close to 300 clients so far; about 60 percent of them remain in the program.

The Wilkes-Barre mayor expressed his support of the MAT clinic, saying that it greatly benefits the community.

https://www.drugaddictionnow.com/2018/07/06/wilkes-barre-...