Continuing To Fight The Opioid Epidemic

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- According to a new report, the U.S. Department of Justice says it plans to hold opioid manufactures accountable for their part in fueling the opioid epidemic.

But we are far from a conclusion to this problem.

In fact, there are steps we could be making right now that would make a big difference.

A big step could be could be made by removing what is known as "pain satisfaction scores" from the variety of surveys that rate physicians and hospitals for the care they provide.

As someone who was on the front lines seeing patients on a daily basis, I can tell you that the surveys have an impact in how physicians practice and how hospitals monitor the physicians who worked for them.

As long as a person who wants pain medication prescribed to them as part of their addiction can use the surveys to manipulate how hospitals and physicians are evaluated, there is the potential for unnecessary prescribing of narcotics.

Most physicians are ethical and responsible, but there does not need to be a survey tied to this particular part of patient care.