Sixth annual "Crush the Crisis" to be hosted by HCA Midwest Health

Five HCA Midwest Health hospitals throughout are partner law enforcement to encourage disposal of medications

Overland Park, Kan. — HCA Midwest Health is hosting its sixth annual “Crush the Crisis” prescription drug take-back day — an event to raise awareness about the dangers of prescription drug misuse and the importance of safe and proper disposal of unused or expired medications — on Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024.

The event coincides with the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. It offers the community an opportunity to safely and anonymously dispose of medications that may be left over from previous procedures or other medical visits. “Crush the Crisis” also raises awareness about the dangers of prescription drug misuse. Last year, HCA Midwest Health collected over 400 pounds of unused and expired prescription medications.

Since launching “Crush the Crisis” as an enterprise initiative in 2019, HCA Healthcare, HCA Midwest Health’s parent company, has helped collect more than 67,500 pounds of medication from 120 HCA Healthcare facilities from all 15 U.S. divisions.

“It is critical to bring awareness of the dangers of drug misuse and abuse as the nationwide drug overdose epidemic continues,” said HCA chief medical officer Eric Benink, MD. “According to the Department of Health and Human Services, more than 2,500 drug-related overdose deaths occurred in Kansas and Missouri in 2022. Tragically, more than 70% of these deaths were caused by synthetic opioids like illicit fentanyl. We are proud to support and help educate the people on the proper disposal of medications and reverse these alarming statistics in our community.”

To further help combat the nation’s opioid crisis, HCA Healthcare has worked with the National Academy of Medicine’s (NAM) Action Collaborative on Countering the U.S. Opioid Epidemic. HCA Healthcare uses data from approximately 43 million annual patient encounters to help continuously improve care. The organization uses the science of “big data” to help reduce prescription drug misuse and transform pain management with initiatives in surgical, emergency and other care settings, including:

• Enhanced Surgical Recovery (ESR): a multi-modal approach to pain management using pre-, intra and post-operative interventions to optimize outcomes. HCA Healthcare’s ESR programs have demonstrated significant improvements in surgical recovery and patient satisfaction, including decreases in opioid usage.
• Electronic Prescribing of Controlled Substances (EPCS): aims to stem increasing rates of opioid-related addiction, misuse diversion and death by making it more difficult for medication-seekers to doctor-shop and alter prescriptions. Physicians have access to aggregated electronic health records, providing data to help them prescribe opioids judiciously.

WHO:

Participating HCA Midwest Health hospitals:

Research Medical Center, Centerpoint Medical Center, Menorah Medical Center, Lee’s Summit Medical Center and Belton Regional Medical Center. Employees, including doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and staff, as well as members of area police departments, invite community members to dispose of unused medications safely.

WHAT:

Law enforcement officers will collect:

Tablets, capsules, and patches of Hydrocodone (Norco, Lortab, Vicodin), Oxycodone (Oxycontin, Percocet), Tramadol (Ultram), Codeine, Fentanyl (Duragesic), Morphine, Hydromorphone (Dilaudid) and Oxymorphone (Opana). Ointments, lotions, drops, liquid medication (in leak-proof containers), vape cartridges (without batteries) and pet medications will also be accepted. Any medications are accepted; however, needles, syringes, lancets, or liquids will not be accepted.

WHEN:

10:00am - 2:00pm on Saturday, October 26, 2024

WHERE:

Research Medical Center, 6667 Holmes St., Kansas City, MO 64131

The collection site, which includes a convenient drive-thru medication drop-off option, will be located at the Medical Office Building circle drive, located on the ER of Brookside campus. Please follow the event signs to the drive-thru medication drop-off location. This year, Research Medical Center will partner with Heartland Regional Alcohol & Drug Assessment Center and offer free Narcan and Narcan education and fentanyl test strips.

Centerpoint Medical Center, 19550 East 39th St S, Independence, MO 64057

The collection site, which includes a convenient drive-thru medication drop-off option, will be located at the Medical Office Building circle drive, situated on the Centerpoint Medical Center campus. Please follow the event signs to the drive-thru medication drop-off location.

Menorah Medical Center, 5701 W 119th St, Overland Park, KS 66209

The collection site, which includes a convenient drive-thru medication drop-off option, will be located at the Medical Office Building circle drive on the Menorah Medical Center campus. Please follow event signs to the drive-thru medication drop-off location at Entrance D, on the Northwest side of the campus.

Lee’s Summit Medical Center, 2100 S.E. Blue Pkwy, Lee’s Summit, MO 64063

The collection site, which includes a convenient drive-thru medication drop-off option, will be located at the Emergency Department circle drive on the Lee's Summit Medical Center campus. Please follow the event signs to the drive-thru medication drop-off location.

Belton Regional Medical Center, 17065 US-71, Belton, MO 64012

The collection site, which includes a convenient drive-thru medication drop-off option, will be located at the circle drive of the main entrance to Belton Regional Medical Center. Please follow the event signs to the drive-thru medication drop-off location.