News

Read our spring 2022 newsletter.

Our spring newsletter is here! Featuring our new website, spring medication take back events, new resources and more.   Click here to read the newsletter. Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.

Addiction prevention: Opioid prescriptions after surgeries decline in Michigan, doctors say

One of our co-directors, Dr. Mark Bicket, spoke to WXYZ Detroit about declining opioid prescriptions after surgery and how over-the-counter medicines can be effective at managing post-operative pain. “Some of the medicines, people may even have in their prescription cabinet at home or can get over the counter. So, Tylenol, acetaminophen is one those. When […]

OPEN Partnered to Host Take Back Events in 32 Communities Around the State on April 30, 2022

Ann Arbor – On Saturday, April 30, Michigan residents in 16 counties had a chance to get opioids and other unused and expired prescription medications out of their medicine cabinets through 32 simultaneous events held around the state. The collective effort resulted in hundreds of families safely removing a total of over 2000 pounds of […]

Successful Medication Take Back Events held at 32 sites in April 2022

Congratulations to our 32 sites across Michigan on another successful medication Take Back Event this weekend! Thanks to you, residents in 16 counties were able to safely, easily and discreetly dispose of opioids on Saturday, April 30, 2022. For year-round disposal, please visit our digital disposal map. 

RX Summit 2022 – Presentation

Today, two of our directors, Dr. Mark Bicket and Dr. Jennifer Waljee spoke at the 2022 RX Summit. In the presentation: “Pain Management: Lessons From Michigan and West Virginia”, they discussed a Perioperative Pain Care Management and Coordination pathway. To learn more, visit our Transitions of Care page.  

Fifth ‘Medications for Opioid Use Disorder’ Training held 3/17/22

The Michigan OPEN/MEDIC team hosted a virtual, 3-hour Medications for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD) training on March 17, 2022. This was the fifth MOUD Training session held by Michigan OPEN/MEDIC The course was instructed by Drs. Nick Rademacher, Andy King, and Brad Riley. 111 providers attended the event – the largest MOUD Training session to […]

“Opioid Prescribing and Pain Management After EVAR and CEA”.

Dr. Mark Bicket, one of our co-directors, presented “Opioid Prescribing and Pain Management After EVAR and CEA” during the BMC2 Vascular Surgery Coordinator Meeting on March 16, 2022. During the presentation, he reviewed opioid prescribing data and discussed options on how to help patients recover from surgery. Watch his presentation here. Note, the presentation is about 20 minutes […]

‘Addressing the Opioid Crisis Part 1: Understanding the Crisis’ – PBGH

One of our Co-Directors, Dr. Chad Brummett spoke on the podcast: “It’s All Your Business”, hosted by the Pittsburgh Business Group on Health. In the episode, Dr. Brummett discussed the current landscape of the opioid crisis and offered insights into how employers can make a difference. Listen to the full episode here. Note, the episode is about […]

The Surgeon’s Role In Preventing Opioid Abuse

  One of our founders, Dr. Michael Englesbe, recently spoke on the Opioid Conversations with Surgeons podcast, hosted by the Pennsylvania-New Jersey Surgical Opioid Stewardship program. Dr. Englesbe spoke on the topic of opioid use in surgery, multi-modal pain care, creating opioid prescribing guidelines and more. Note: the episode is about 25 minutes long.

Read our Winter 2022 Newsletter

Spring 2022 Take Back Event date announced, new research from our team, and more.

‘Narcan 101: How to use it, why it works and how to get it.’ – Detroit Free Press

Check out this article from the Detroit Free Press, featuring Keith Kocher, MD, one of our board members and the director of the MEDIC program, with whom we work with to distribute naloxone in Emergency Departments around the state. Click here to find out where you can access naloxone.

“Michigan network takes preventive approach to address rising opioid overdoses”

Our work was the subject of a article published this week by Second Wave Michigan. It is part of a series focusing on health issues in Michigan and the people all across the state doing innovative work to improve health equity. Three of our team leaders are featured in the piece.