New Novant Health program hopes to reduce opioid overdoses

NEW HANOVER COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — A new Novant Health initiative is seeking to help patients who have suffered an opioid overdose. 

Community paramedics—who work along with traditional paramedics—can help provide services other than taking someone to a hospital.  

Community paramedics will now begin responding to emergency calls alongside ambulances to provide medication assisted treatment to patients who suffer an opioid overdose. They can also help patients contact treatment centers. 

According to Community Paramedic Sarah Rivenbark, oftentimes patients who suffer an overdose will end up overdosing again within a month. 

“A lot of times it’s because people don’t know how to navigate the system, or they can’t manage their withdrawal symptoms. So, this program allows us to provide them medication to help manage their withdrawal symptoms and also serve as a bridge.” 

According to the National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics, more than 2000 North Carolinians died from opioid-related overdoses last year.