Dr. Lynn R Webster Kicks Off Statewide Education Campaign
June 8, 2006LOCAL PAIN MEDICINE SPECIALIST CALLS FOR ZERO UNINTENTIONAL DEATHS
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Dr. Lynn R. Webster, President of the Utah Academy of Pain Medicine and Medical Director of Lifetree Clinical Research® & Pain Clinic in Salt Lake City, officially announced he will kick-off a statewide educational campaign entitled “Zero Unintentional Deaths” in an effort to educate doctors, chronic pain sufferers and statewide communities about the increasingly serious issue of unintentional overdose deaths with prescription medications.
“There are too many unintentional overdose deaths from opioids, which are narcotic medications used for treating pain”, says Dr. Webster. “Many die because they are simply trying to escape the pain. It is a tragedy that can be prevented for many chronic pain sufferers, and this story needs to be told to the public.”
Prescription drug abuse has become a serious problem nationally, and unfortunately Utah has had the greatest increase in methadone related deaths in the country. Dr. Webster is currently working, on the behalf of the Utah Academy of Pain Medicine, with the Utah Department of Health to find a way to study the problem of unintentional overdose deaths in Utah and find solutions to the problem without compromising access to pain therapy.
Dr. Webster has proposed to develop a study that will utilize a root-cause analysis in a sophisticated way to understand the risk factors that are causing deaths. If approved, this research will be conducted on a national scale. But this research will take time to fund and conduct, and Dr. Webster knows we can’t wait for research results. He recognizes the immediate need to take action and begin educating providers about the appropriate use of opioids as part of pain management. Dr. Webster wants to get the information in the forefront nationwide, and he will begin this process with a personal statewide campaign entitled “Zero Unintentional Deaths”.
The campaign begins June 15, 2006 in Vernal, Utah where Dr. Webster’s seminar is being presented for the Ashley Valley Medical Center (AVMC) Office of Continuing Medical Education from 6:30 to 7:45 p.m. at the AVMC Conference Center. Between June and October of 2006, Dr. Webster plans to visit nine communities outside of Salt Lake City in the state of Utah which include Logan, Brigham City, Ogden, Vernal, Price, Orem/Provo, Richfield, Cedar City and St. George. This statewide campaign will include an educational seminar for the medical community that will help them better understand the prescription drug abuse problem, recognize the factors associated with unintentional overdose deaths, and familiarize them with the major risk factors for opioid abuse in chronic pain patients. Dr. Webster will also meet with State representatives and media in those communities to educate the general public about this critical issue.
Dr. Webster is a Board-Certified Anesthesiologist and Pain Medicine Specialist. He is dedicated to treating patients in pain while simultaneously working to minimize the potential for abuse, addiction and unintentional overdoses. Dr. Webster is also certified in addiction treatment, and he hopes that by providing education to doctors, chronic pain sufferers and statewide communities, we can get a handle on the big pain problem in America and reach his goal of “Zero Unintentional Deaths” with chronic pain patients.
