Skip to Content

UCF Lake Nona Hospital hosts Crush the Crisis Rx take back day

UCF Lake Nona Hospital, part of HCA Healthcare, in support of local law enforcement and Orlando Police Department is hosting a drop off event for unused prescription medications.

October 22, 2024
Police stationed in a tent at UCF Lake Nona Hospital taking back bags of unused pills

HCA Healthcare, Inc. (NYSE: HCA), one of the nation’s leading healthcare providers, today announced it will host its sixth annual “Crush the Crisis” national prescription drug take back day on Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. This year, 133 HCA Healthcare facilities across the country will partner with local law enforcement to help communities safely and anonymously dispose of unused or expired medications.

Held each year, in alignment with the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, HCA Healthcare holds “Crush the Crisis” events to raise awareness about the dangers of prescription drug misuse and the importance of proper disposal of unused or expired medications. Last year, more than 120 HCA Healthcare facilities from all 15 U.S. divisions helped to collect 13,136 pounds, equivalent to approximately 9 million doses, of unused and expired prescription medications. Since launching “Crush the Crisis” as an enterprise initiative in 2019, HCA Healthcare has helped collect more than 67,500 pounds of medication. 

“Take back events, like ‘Crush the Crisis,’ support the essential work of curbing the nationwide issue of prescription drug misuse,” said Dr. Randy Fagin, chief medical officer of HCA Healthcare’s National Group. “As we go into our sixth year, I am proud of our ongoing work as an organization to support our community needs today and help shape a healthier tomorrow.”

To further help combat the nation’s opioid crisis, HCA Healthcare has worked with the National Academy of Medicine’s (NAM) Action Collaborative on Countering the U.S. Opioid Epidemic. 

HCA Healthcare uses data from approximately 43 million annual patient encounters to help continuously improve care. The organization uses the science of “big data” to help reduce prescription drug misuse and transform pain management, with initiatives in surgical, emergency and other care settings, including:

  • Enhanced Surgical Recovery (ESR): a multi-modal approach to pain management using pre, intra and post-operative interventions to optimize outcomes. HCA Healthcare’s ESR programs have demonstrated significant improvements in surgical recovery and patient satisfaction, including decreases in opioid usage.
  • Electronic Prescribing of Controlled Substances (EPCS): aims to stem increasing rates of opioid-related addiction, misuse diversion and death by making it more difficult for medication-seekers to doctor-shop and alter prescriptions. Physicians have access to aggregated electronic health records, providing data to help them prescribe opioids judiciously.

Published:
October 22, 2024
Location:
UCF Lake Nona Medical Center

Related Newsroom Articles


UCF Lake Nona Hospital receives five stars for pneumonia care 

November 25, 2024
UCF Lake Nona Hospital earns prestigious five-star recognition for extraordinary care.

UCF Lake Nona Hospital receives five stars for pneumonia care 

November 25, 2024
UCF Lake Nona Hospital earns prestigious five-star recognition for extraordinary care.

HCA Florida Healthcare hospitals earn 90+ specialty care awards 

November 19, 2024
Healthgrades names 90+ services at HCA Florida Healthcare facilities among America's Best Hospitals for specialty care

Galen College of Nursing and HCA Florida Healthcare announce new campus in Orlando 

October 24, 2024
New nursing education facility in Orlando to help answer need for new nurses