In celebration of the major reduction in daily opioid prescriptions in Utah, leaders from the Utah Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and Intermountain Health gathered on Tuesday, Jan. 28, at Intermountain Utah Valley Hospital in Provo to unveil a large visual display highlighting this important achievement and the many efforts to reduce opioid overuse and addiction in the community.
The newly updated 20-foot chandelier at Intermountain Utah Valley Hospital showcases ongoing state and local efforts to reduce opioid prescriptions and highlights an additional 21% decrease in prescriptions—nearly double the reduction recognized by leaders in 2023.
Since 2017, the number of opioid prescriptions in Utah has decreased from 7,000 daily to 4,102. This achievement is the result of collaborative efforts from health systems, healthcare providers, the state of Utah, community coalitions and patients—all aimed at reducing opioid overuse and addiction in Utah.
In addition to educating patients about the “Know Your Script” campaign to help reduce overdose risks, physicians and caregivers at Intermountain Health have been working with patients on alternative solutions for pain control to ensure patient needs are addressed.
The event included the unveiling of the new 20-foot chandelier as well as speeches from experts and a mother who lost her son to an opioid addiction, now on a mission to ensure other parents don’t endure the same pain.
