The South Carolina Department of Health and Environment Control (SCDHEC) and the Department of Alcohol And Other Drug Abuse Services (DAODAS) have joined forces to tackle the opioid crisis in South Carolina with a new initiative. They recently unveiled an online public dashboard aimed at providing easy access to data on the state’s opioid crisis.
This collaboration isn’t new; these agencies have been working together for years, collecting and analyzing data on substance abuse in the state through the Prescription Monitoring Program. However, the launch of this online dashboard marks a significant step forward in making this data available to everyone.
Dr. Sara Goldsby, Director of DAODAS, highlighted the importance of addressing over-prescribing and misuse of prescription drugs, acknowledging the well-meaning intentions behind most prescriptions.
The new dashboard offers a live display of about two years’ worth of data, allowing users to delve into specific trends at the county level. It provides insights into various aspects such as drug prescription trends, age groups, patient gender, and month-to-month dispensary statistics.
Goldsby emphasized that the dashboard will be regularly updated with new data every quarter, providing valuable information for healthcare professionals to adjust their prescribing practices and for local officials to allocate resources effectively.
The goal isn’t just to aid agencies combating the crisis but also to empower the public with a better understanding of the severity of the issue in their communities. By tracking these trends, individuals and local officials can make informed decisions to address the crisis more effectively.
