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Why doctors and hospitals fail to treat patients with addiction : NPR
NPR • • general
Key Points:
- In December 2023, Providence Milwaukie Hospital discharged Jean Descamps, a severely ill addiction patient, despite concerns from police officers about his condition; Descamps died shortly after from a drug overdose.
- The hospital staff believed Descamps was malingering and not medically ill enough to stay, but failed to conduct a toxicology test before discharge, a decision later criticized in investigations.
- Nationwide, addiction treatment remains inadequate, with over 80% of Americans needing help receiving no medical treatment, partly due to stigma and bias among healthcare professionals.
- Despite the availability of effective medications like methadone and buprenorphine, many doctors avoid treating addiction patients due to lack of training, stigma, and regulatory barriers.
- Experts call for systemic changes including better education, training, and policies to integrate addiction care into mainstream medicine, as current practices lead to preventable deaths without accountability.
