Daily opioid prescriptions in Utah reduced by 41%
Jan 28, 2025, 8:16 PM
Intermountain Health and the statewide opioid prescription misuse prevention campaign, Know Your Script, unveil a 20-foot chandelier installation at Intermountain Utah Valley Hospital. (Intermountain Health)
(Intermountain Health)
PROVO, Utah — A new display at Utah Valley Hospital in Provo is more than a 20-foot chandelier made of prescription bottles.
It’s a visual reminder of the state’s efforts to reduce opioid overuse and addiction. According to the Utah Department of Health and Human Services and Intermountain Health, state efforts have resulted in a 41% decline in daily opioid prescriptions in Utah.
Related: DEA assembles Utah Drug Overdose Task Force to combat opioid crisis
The data comes from Utah’s Controlled Substance Database and shows that from 2017 to 2023, daily prescriptions for opioids in Utah decreased from 7,000 to 4,102. That represents a 26% reduction.
Since 2023, the number of daily opioid prescriptions in Utah decreased again by 15%.
This isn’t the first time the chandelier has appeared. According to an Intermountain press release, a previous version was on display in the lobby of Intermountain McKay Dee Hospital in 2017. At that time, the chandelier represented 7,000 daily opioid prescriptions.
A visual display at Utah Valley Hospital in Provo illustrates a decrease in daily opioid prescriptions in Utah (Intermountain Health).
How officials have reduced Utah opioid prescriptions
Along with a public campaign to fight misuse called Know Your Script, the medical director of Intermountain Utah Valley Hospital said that doctors are using methods other than opioids to help patients deal with pain.
“We make it a priority to promote awareness, educate, and discuss acute and chronic pain with our patients, to help them live a functional, high-quality life,” said Nathan Richards, MD, medical director of Intermountain Utah Valley Hospital.
And there are multiple state, county, and community organizations dedicated to helping Utahns avoid or beat opioid addiction. These include the Utah County Opioid Task Force, the Utah Opioid Task Force, and the Utah Department of Health and Human Services.
“This significant reduction in opioid prescriptions in Utah highlights the effectiveness of focused efforts to address this issue,” said Stacey Bank, MD, executive medical director of DHHS in a press release. “It is a true testament to the ongoing partnership and dedication of everyone involved in fighting opioid misuse in the state.”
