Harrison, Ark. (July 8, 2024) – North Arkansas Regional Medical Center (NARMC), a health system consisting of a 174-bed central hospital in Harrison and 13 clinics serving rural communities in northern Arkansas, announced Monday that they have been awarded $232,602 in opioid settlement dollars from the Arkansas Opioid Recovery Partnership. NARMC will use this funding to provide a comprehensive, multipronged approach to combat opioid misuse in their 5-county service area.
NARMC has administered Naloxone (an opioid overdose antagonist) an average of 92 times per year over the past three years. In the past 12 months, the number of doses administered increased by 25%. “These statistics demonstrate the need to implement a more robust opioid misuse prevention and education program within our organization,” says Kortni Dixon, Executive Director of Clinic Operations.
Over the next two years, NARMC will utilize a multidisciplinary team approach to serve patients who are administered opioid medications across their large geographical service area. Specially-trained clinical staff will provide education and screening services to patients who are dispensed and/or discharged with opioid prescriptions. Individuals will receive critical information on the risks of dependence, potential side effects and appropriate/inappropriate use and storage of these medications by staff at the time of administration and by a specially-trained nurse throughout their stay and prior to discharge. Individuals will also receive these valuable resources in the outpatient setting.
“This funding will allow us to have dedicated personnel who implement prevention efforts by engaging these patients, reinforcing our commitment to address the opioid epidemic head-on,” said Dixon.
"We are grateful for the support of the Arkansas Opioid Recovery Partnership," Dixon continued. "We also extend our appreciation to Harrison Mayor, Jerry Jackson, and Boone County Judge, Robert Hathaway, for their collaboration in this vital initiative."
NARMC is located in Harrison, Arkansas and is a 174-bed hospital and medical system employing over 650 healthcare professionals. The medical center serves the healthcare needs of Boone, Marion, Newton, Searcy and Carroll Counties.
ABOUT THE ARKANSAS OPIOID RECOVERY PARTNERSHIP
The Arkansas Opioid Recovery Partnership (ARORP), an initiative of the Association of Arkansas Counties and the Arkansas Municipal League, represents a network of organizations committed to providing support for Arkansans in recovery, neighbors suffering from a substance misuse disorder, and families who have experienced loss due to the opioid epidemic. The Partnership oversees the strategic disbursement of opioid settlement dollars at the city and county levels. Learn more at www.arorp.org.