Between 1999 and 2016, More Than 350,000 People Died From an Opioid-Related Overdose
Mary Grealy, President, Healthcare Leadership Council
(Washington D.C., Tuesday, June 26, 2018) – The growing crisis of opioid misuse, addiction, and overdose has had a devastating impact on communities across the United States. Between 1999 and 2016, more than 350,000 people died from an opioid-related overdose, with overdose deaths growing to more than 42,000 in 2016 alone.
To provide holistic but practical solutions to address the multifaceted challenges underlying the opioid crisis, the Healthcare Leadership Council’s (HLC) National Dialogue for Healthcare Innovation (NDHI) organized the Opioid Crisis Solutions Summit. The Summit brought together thought leadership from both public and private sectors from virtually all health disciplines, including leaders in healthcare, business, academia, government, patient groups, and addiction and recovery experts.
Key priorities identified by Summit participants—including specific recommendations for lawmakers, regulators, and healthcare leaders—form the “Opioid Roadmap for Action,” a collection of substantive actions that will reduce the toll of opioid-related misuse, addiction, and overdose while taking meaningful steps to improve patient care.
The Healthcare Leadership Council is a coalition of chief executives from all sectors within the U.S. health system, representing hospitals, health plans, pharmaceutical companies, medical device manufacturers, biotechnology firms, health product distributors, laboratories, post-acute care providers, and academic health centers. HLC members are on the front lines of addressing this crisis in their communities, and believe that there is a need for a comprehensive, collaborative approach that leverages innovative, evidence-based efforts from both the public and private sectors.