What's one innovative approach to addressing the opioid crisis you've encountered in your work? How effective do you think it has been?

One of the most innovative—and underestimated—approaches to addressing the opioid crisis has been the return to truly holistic care. The opioid epidemic wasn't just about prescribing too many pills. It was also about a deep misunderstanding of how to treat chronic pain. Pain is not simply a "signal to be silenced." And yet, for decades, that's exactly how it was treated—driven largely by an economic model fueled by pharmaceutical incentives and the false belief that a pill could fix everything. But chronic pain is far more complex. It affects—and is affected by—every aspect of a person's life. The most effective care I've seen involves addressing the whole person: Supporting the body through physical therapy and movement Treating the mind through cognitive behavioral therapy and trauma-informed care Reinforcing the spirit through social connection and purpose In my practice, this multidisciplinary model doesn't just reduce opioid use—it restores function and quality of life. We track success not by whether a patient is pain-free, but whether they can walk their dog again, attend their grandchild's recital, or return to work with dignity. That's the real measure of progress. The truth is: pain management doesn't begin and end with opioids. It begins with listening, educating, and building trust—something we're finally starting to reclaim.

Good Day, One of what has seen success is the use of Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs (PDMPs). What these do is allow doctors access to a patient's full prescription history as it happens which in turn identifies things like a patient seeking out opioids from many different prescribers. When doctors integrate this info with clinical guidance we see more safe prescriptions. What I have observed is that this has helped to reduce over prescription and misuse. It is not a definitive solution but what it does do is raise awareness and identify issues at earlier stages. The key is in also educating the patient and, which goes along with it, to have access to addiction support. There are issues still to work out like getting all providers to use it the same but it is a good step forward. If you decide to use this quote, I'd love to stay connected! Feel free to reach me at gregorygasic@vmedx.com and outreach@vmedx.com.

The opioid crisis is bigger than many people think, and it's getting worse even in pediatric age groups. I've seen two cases of pentazocine addiction in children aged 16 and 17, and the big problem here is that they were exposed to this at a very young age. Most healthcare workers do not refer to the pain ladder scale again, which is bad, and in most cases we are responsible for addictive behaviors. Before prescribing opioids, I've mandated my workers to assess the pain very well, try to solve the underlying cause, and not be aggressive with strong opioids with addictive effects.

The root cause of the opioid crisis for most people is improperly treated chronic pain or injuries. When people's only option for dealing with these issues is prescription painkillers, it's no surprise that they soon become addicted to them. Offering better access to physical therapy, social supports, and follow-up appointments will help to prevent this.