Forum Brings Together Ohio Leaders Fighting the Opioid Crisis
Education, government, and healthcare representatives meet at Cedarville.
Misuse of opioids has become a national problem, and pharmacy schools across the nation have joined the fight. For its part, Cedarville University recently brought together business and government leaders who are battling the opioid crisis in Ohio.
Among those attending this mini-summit were Marty Larson, CEO of Ascend Innovations, which developed a smartphone app for managing the opioid crisis in Montgomery County, Ohio; James Paat, CEO of InXite Health Systems, which makes IT health platforms managing opioid patients; and Jon Sprague from the Ohio attorney general’s office, who is helping lead the state of Ohio’s efforts regarding the opioid crisis.
— Marc Sweeney
According to Dr. Marc Sweeney, dean of Cedarville’s school of pharmacy, the School’s Center for Pharmacy Innovation is working with these organizations to leverage technology as a tool in the opioid fight.
Other initiatives by the school of pharmacy that are supported by the Center for Pharmacy Innovation include middle and high school educational outreach, the development of drug disposal programs in conjunction with area police agencies and training for patient care clinics to improve pain management without using opioids.
“Cedarville is a part of a broader initiative that includes all colleges of pharmacy,” noted Sweeney. “We have our own unique innovative approaches, as do other colleges of pharmacy. But everyone is banding together to fight this problem.”
Located in southwest Ohio, Cedarville University is an accredited, Christ-centered, Baptist institution with an enrollment of 4,193 undergraduate, graduate and online students in more than 150 areas of study. Founded in 1887, Cedarville is recognized nationally for its authentic Christian community, rigorous academic programs, including its doctor of pharmacy program, strong graduation and retention rates, accredited professional and health science offerings and leading student satisfaction ratings. For more information about the University, visit www.cedarville.edu.