Research Medical Center
September 12, 2019

Crush the Crisis Opioid Take-back Day

Menorah Medical Center and Research Medical Center, in partnership with local law enforcement agencies, collected hundreds of bottles of medications confidentially and anonymously last weekend.

In a boots-on-the-ground effort to help combat the crisis locally, last Saturday Menorah Medical Center and Research Medical Center — part of HCA Midwest Health, Kansas City's leading healthcare provider — collected nearly 150 pounds of medications during its "Crush the Crisis" opioid take back event. The hospitals participated as part of HCA Healthcare's first national "Crush the Crisis" opioid take-back day.

"We take seriously the opioid crisis and the impact it has on the communities we serve," says Menorah Medical Center Chief Executive Officer Phil Buttell. "And, judging from the number of bottles of unused and expired medications we collected, people want a place to safely, properly and confidentially dispose of them, too."

"Our singular mission is a commitment to improving the lives we are entrusted with," says Research Medical Center Chief Executive Officer Ashley McClellan. "Opioid addiction can happen to anyone, and this Crush the Crisis event helped raise awareness and educate people about the dangers of misusing medications. Due to the success of this event, we look forward to hosting more Crush the Crisis take back days in the near future."

More than 65 HCA Healthcare facilities across 15 states united to collect unused or expired opioids for one day. To further help combat the nation's opioid crisis, HCA Healthcare, the parent company of Menorah Medical Center and Research Medical Center, partners with the National Academy of Medicine's Action Collaborative on Countering the U.S. Opioid Epidemic, consisting of more than 50 organizations that share best practices and identify gaps in the safe treatment of opioid addiction.

Lee's Summit Medical Center, also part of HCA Midwest Health, provides a drop-off point for unused and expired medications in their lobby 24/7 at 2100 SE Blue Pkwy, Lee's Summit, Missouri.