I work at a local hospital and something I believe concerns all citizens of Lake County is the amount of narcotics given out in emergency rooms for pain. I see so many unemployed people, many with no insurance come through the emergency room with pain in various areas, some more than once a week. I truly believe if the hospitals would come together and stop giving narcotics out in the emergency room, but instead give non-narcotics and refer them to their own doctor or a pain management doctor, we would see a reduction not only in hospital write-offs that increase health care for others, but also slow down the drug problem in our county. Isn”t it time someone stepped up and said enough is enough and took the lead in this? Drugs are the underlying cause of rising crime and high medical costs in our country. I unfortunately have a son in another state addicted to pain pills, he can”t work and steals to support his habit. I pray the hospitals take the lead and adopt a policy to help our county and show the rest of the country something can and should be done. Our police can”t do this alone. We all have to take a part to stop this practice of doctors giving out narcotics out of ease rather than need.
Paul Hysell
Lakeport
