As overdoses surge, numerous R.I. hospitals begin testing for fentanyl in ERs

Through the Journal:

Rhode Island’s two biggest hospital companies the very first time tend to be beginning to display clients for fentanyl, the lethal opioid this is certainly associated with nearly 60 % of most overdose deaths in 2016.

Medical center business officials cannot state just how many crisis rooms all over the country consistently test for fentanyl, a synthetic opioid 50 to 100 times more powerful than morphine.

“It’s probably less than half″ of all of the hospitals, said Dr. Janis Orlowski, primary health care officer for the Association of American Medical Colleges in Washington, D.C. But “it’s dramatically rising within the last few couple of years … because we’re seeing those [overdose] increases.”