Beebe Healthcare sounds alarm over 30+ overdose admission spike
LEWES, Del. – Beebe Hospital officials joined the Delaware Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health and Department of Health Services to raise alarm, following a string of 50 overdoses reported in five days across Sussex County, 30 of those cases admitting to Beebe’s campus in Lewes.
“It is important to let the community know how dangerous this drug is. And even this newer kind of formulation of drugs, and why they need to actually think twice about just one Narcan, versus two Narcan, versus even three Narcan,” said Beebe CEO Dr. David Tam, warning that more Narcan was required to revive patients and restore regular breathing compared to a normal dose.
Officials say its the size of the spike and the symptoms that has them concerned.
“This pattern of overdose and the frequency of overdose is what’s notable. And the length of time for patients to regain a level of alertness is different. So that’s the change. And that’s what’s requiring hospitalization. Unknown Intensive care unit admission and ongoing care,” said Delaware EMS Medical Director Dr. Rob Rosenbaum.
Those patients saw more intense seizures and had to be ventilated to restore breathing, with many requiring extensive stays in the ICU.
In response, The Delaware Division of Substance and Mental Health announced that an additional 1,300 Narcan, kits are going through community partners, with an additional 200 doses headed to Beebe Hospital.
DSAM says drug users, also need to take extra precautions.
“It’s so important never to use alone. It is heartbreaking to read death reports of a patient who had Narcan right next to them, but because they were using alone, there was no one there to save their life,” said DSAM Director Joanna Champney.
DSAM is hoping that for those now recovering at Beebe, this will be their wake-up call, and will use the moment to start a new path.
“When you’re coming out of a nonfatal overdose, there’s an opportunity there to think about, I’m like, am I ready for change, is this the moment for me, right when, I when I enter treatment, maybe for the first time,” Champney.
