[Date]
[Administrator Name]
[Hospital]
[Hospital Address]

RE: Recommended Evidence-Based Alternative Options to Opioids

Dear [Hospital Administrator],

As you know, opioid abuse and addiction continues to cause significant harm to our community. New Joint Commission standards point toward an important solution to reducing opioid abuse. As of January 1st, the Joint Commission will require patient education on and access to alternative non-pharmacologic pain treatments like chiropractic manipulation and acupuncture. A discussion on collaboration of care for patients in pain or at risk of addiction is now more timely than ever.

The updated Joint Commission standards follow state and national guidelines that have highlighted non-pharmacologic treatment as an underutilized solution to help manage patients with acute and chronic pain. Calls have come from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Institute of Medicine (IOM) for a shift away from opioid use toward nonpharmacologic approaches to address chronic pain.

Based on the latest research, the American College of Physicians released guidelines for the treatment of back pain recommending nonpharmacologic treatment like chiropractic spinal manipulation as first-line treatment before medications.

Ohio’s Opiate Action Team of medical experts created guidelines for acute pain treatment to help reduce opiate addiction and death in Ohio, recommending nonpharmacologic treatments first: “Chiropractic treatment, acupuncture/ acupressure, nutrition, exercise, massage and wellness programs need to be considered first when patients experience musculoskeletal injuries.”

Providers in multiple disciplines and throughout the health care continuum are now advocating chiropractic care as a leading alternative to pharmacologic treatment for painful neuromusculoskeletal conditions. For the overwhelming number of people who suffer with chronic pain, chiropractic care offers a drug-free, non-invasive and cost-effective alternative to opioid drugs.

Chiropractic is the largest, most regulated and best recognized of the complementary and alternative care professions. In fact, patient surveys reported in the Annals of Internal Medicine show that chiropractors are used more than any other alternative provider group and patient satisfaction with chiropractic care is very high. Patient use of chiropractic in the United States has tripled in the past two decades, and most insurance plans cover chiropractic care.

Local doctors of chiropractic can help provide quality care to patients seeking relief from painful neuromusculoskeletal conditions. We’re interested in discussing how we can work more collaboratively to deliver the best care to patients in our community. We can also provide more information on treatment guidelines and utilizing non-pharmacologic treatments for pain by request.

Together we can help provide the best care to our community and help stop the opioid epidemic.

Sincerely,
[Doctor]