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www . wvexecutive . com $ 7.50 |
We st Virginia |
Celebrating 150 Years of Mountain State Success |
BY CHARLES WEST VIRGINIA — the only state formed by MORRIS Presidential decree — became a state on June
20 , 1863 . In the midst of the Civil War , with skirmishes and battles surrounding them , the state ’ s founding fathers worked through major decisions about electing officials , writing a constitution , choosing a site for the state capitol and the many other details of becoming a new state .
To mark the state ’ s 150th birthday , the West Virginia Division of Culture and History is preparing to celebrate the state ’ s sesquicentennial with an exhibit that highlights West Virginia ’ s people , places and events through the decades from 1863 to the present . The division ’ s museum staff has carefully searched through more than 60,000 artifacts in the state museum collection to select items for the exhibit .
The sesquicentennial exhibit , called West Virginia 150 , will be located in the Theater and Balcony galleries of the West Virginia Culture Center at the State Capitol Complex and will focus on 150 people , places and things that helped shape West Virginia during the last 150 years .
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1863-1880 |
The exhibit begins with the 1863-1880 period , the early years of statehood , which are also one of the most turbulent times in any state ’ s history . This 17-year period focuses on President Abraham Lincoln ’ s decision to establish West Virginia as the country ’ s 35th state . The exhibit will also feature other new beginnings such as the construction of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad , which linked Huntington to White Sulphur Springs , and the invention of the first bricklaying process in Charleston . |
In the 1880-1890 portion of the exhibit , visitors will take a look at
1880-1890 those who guided West Virginia ’ s development as well as the progress that came with the construction of the lock and dam system that influenced travel on the Kanawha , Ohio , Monongahela , Little Kanawha and Big Sandy rivers . The Hatfields and McCoys make an appearance with an artifact from their infamous feud , and guests will learn the story behind the opening of Oakhurst Links in White Sulphur Springs , the first organized golf club in the United States .
1890-1900
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The decade of 1890-1900 focuses on business growth , West Virginia ’ s leadership role in the Spanish-American War , the first rural free mail delivery in Jefferson County and the opening of the West Virginia State Museum by Governor William MacCorkle . One of the items of particular interest in this section is an artifact from the original museum about Andrew Rowan ’ s role in the Spanish-American War . Rowan is often referred to as the man who carried the message to Garcia . |
Fast Facts
People in rural counties are twice as likely to overdose on prescription painkillers as people in large cities .
Drug overdoses kill more West Virginians each year than car accidents . It ’ s the leading cause of accidental deaths in the state .
Between 2001 and 2008 , the West Virginia death rate of overdoses involving prescription drugs more than quadrupled , from 5.1 deaths per 100,000 residents to 21.5 .
Middle-aged adults have the highest prescription painkiller overdose rates .
Nationwide , misuse of prescription painkillers costs health insurers up to $ 72.5 billion annually in direct health care costs .
Source : Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Addressing Opioid Addiction
WVSOM It starts innocently . There is an injury or illness . There
Hosts is pain , sometimes chronic
Continuing pain recurring over months
Education or years . The sufferer Course on goes to the doctor and is
Prescribing prescribed an opioid to help
Pain relieve the pain . The brand names may be familiar :
Medications
OxyContin ®, Vicodin ® and Percocet ®, among others . The drug may be provided in pill form or as a liquid , suppository or a skin patch — even as a lollipop . The medication works by suppressing the body ’ s perception of pain .
Because of the way these drugs work and how they make patients feel , it ’ s possible for individuals to become physically dependent on the medication in order to function .
Although many types of prescription drugs are abused , there is currently a growing epidemic of prescription painkiller abuse . Today , nearly three out of four prescription drug overdoses are caused by opioid pain relievers . The unprecedented rise in overdose deaths in the U . S . parallels a 300 percent increase in the sale of these painkillers since 1999 . Opioids were involved in 14,800 overdose deaths nationwide in 2008 — more than cocaine and heroin combined — and the highest death rate was found in West Virginia , which had overdose rates nearly five times higher than the state with the lowest rate , Nebraska .
To address this issue , Senate Bill 437 was passed during West Virginia ’ s 2012 Legislative Session , providing specific requirements for the state ’ s medical licensing boards to enforce regarding the treatment of chronic , nonmalignant pain .
One requirement affecting every physician and physician assistant licensed by the state is Continuing Medical Education ( CME ). A three-hour CME course on drug diversion training and best practices for prescribing controlled substances became a requirement for continued medical licensing .
The first board-approved CME in fulfillment of the new legislation was held September 28 at the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine ( WVSOM ) in Lewisburg . The course , “ Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain : Balancing Safety and Efficacy ,” was supported by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration ( SAMHSA ) of the U . S . Department of Health and Human Services and endorsed by Senator Jay Rockefeller ’ s office .
“ Just about every time I ’ m in West Virginia , someone pulls me aside to talk about prescription drug abuse ,” states Sen . Rockefeller . “ I hear over and over again from parents , health professionals
and law enforcement officials that we need to make sure doctors and nurses who prescribe drugs are getting the information and training they need . That ’ s why I asked SAMHSA to come to WVSOM . I ’ m deeply thankful that SAMHSA and WVSOM partnered on this in such a meaningful way .”
The senator , who is the chairman of the U . S . Senate Finance Subcommittee on Health Care , has been actively working with Congress to increase the funding and education required to reduce prescription drug abuse , including adding a provision in the Food and Drug Administration bill of July 2012 to improve both patient and provider education nationwide .
“ WVSOM ’ s day-long CME program provided the most current information on the scope of opioid prescription abuse in West Virginia , the proper protocols for prescribing opioids and how to maximize the state ’ s prescription monitoring system to identify potential misuse or abuse ,” says Jim Nemitz , PhD , WVSOM ’ s vice president for Administration and External Relations .
One of the workshops , titled “ The Nature of Chronic Pain and the Role of Opioids in Pain Management ,” was presented by physicians Jim Finch , MD , and Andrew Thymius , DO .
“ The main point I wanted participants to take away from this presentation was that physicians can choose other treatments besides opioids for patients dealing with chronic pain ,” explains Thymius , who practices at the West Virginia Pain Institute in Beckley . “ Anti-inflammatory medications , muscle relaxers or physical therapy may be more appropriate treatments for a patient ’ s symptoms . Approximately 95 percent of the pain patients I treat in my clinic are not on opioids at all . As education and access to interventional pain management improve in the state , I ’ m confident we can reduce our patients ’ reliance on controlled substances .”
Subsequent education efforts include a second CME held in Charleston on November 30 and presented in partnership with the West Virginia State Medical Association , the West Virginia Osteopathic Medical Association , the state ’ s Board of Osteopathic Medicine and the West Virginia Board of Medicine . Both CME events allowed participants to apply their continuing education hours toward licensure renewal .
“ West Virginians can be assured that the state ’ s medical community is increasing its efforts to improve the standard of care for patients in pain while minimizing the potential for misuse or abuse ,” says Nemitz . •
By Denise Getson
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[ politics ] |
West Virginia ’ s Wake-Up Call |
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4.344.1231 |
www . wvexecutive . com |
West Virginians have an unrivaled loyalty for their state that runs as deep as its coal seams . The great state is in trouble , though . For West Virginia and those who love her , it ’ s time for a wake-up call . |
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consultation . |
Unlike many health care treatments that focus on curing disease , the role of the primary care physician is to focus on preventive medicine .
The Predicamentof Primary Care Addressing the Physician Shortage
BY DENISE IN 1996 , the Institute of Medicine defined GETSON primary care as the provision of “ integrated , accessible health care services by clinicians who are accountable for addressing a large majority of personal health care needs , developing a sustained partnership with patients and practicing in the context of family and community .”
The role of the primary care physician at the frontline of patient health is critical . Research published in a 2004 issue of Health Affairs , a leading health journal , broke down Medicare spending and quality as it impacted communities . Based on the data , researchers determined that states with a higher proportion of primary care doctors had better care and improved health outcomes than those with a shortage of primary care practitioners .
In the State of West Virginia , 47 out of 55 counties have Health Professional Shortage Area designations for primary medical care , according to a May 2013 study by the U . S . Department of Health and Human Services . The shortage of primary care doctors is a serious issue that is poised to get worse . The Office of Rural Health Policy has revealed that 36.1 percent of West Virginia ’ s primary care physicians are at or near retirement age . Compounding this problem is the reality of fewer medical students choosing family medicine and other primary care specialties , along with expected increases in physician demand due to population growth , aging and insurance expansion .
This situation begs the question : how are West Virginia ’ s medical schools responding to this need ?
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FIND INSIDE YOUR
SPECIAL EDITION
OF
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MAKING
HISTORY
United States Senator Shelley Moore Capito
In Focus
Health Care 2015
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Many of us remember getting in trouble as children and being disciplined . Our parents would warn that the punishment was going to hurt but that it was for our own good . Today , West Virginia is in trouble . With changes in the economy and the ebb and flow of various industries as a result of those changes , some states are riding out the storm while West Virginia continues to sink without any visible signs of rescue . It ’ s time for us to have a serious conversation . It ’ s a conversation that ’ s probably going to hurt , but it ’ s for our own good .
As it stands , West Virginia is at a critical juncture . We must make bold , strategic moves now to lay a solid foundation for the future . We must find a way to not only address the challenges imposed upon the state ’ s long-valued fossil fuels industry but actively seek out new industry opportunities . We must attract new businesses and retain the highly skilled students graduating from our higher education institutions . It ’ s imperative that we be forward looking — we have to be proactive , not just reactive . The good news is that , according to Dr . Arthur Laffer , these things are entirely doable — but they must be done , and they must be done now .
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