Study shows opioid-related emergency department visits highest in Maryland (WBAL)

Friday Jun 23rd, 2017

A new nationwide survey on hospital ER visits and inpatient care shows Maryland ranks No. 1 in opioid-related hospital stays.

As communities handle a growing drug crisis, hospitals in Maryland and other places are treating more and more patients with opioid-related problems.

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality released a study Tuesday showing 1.27 million emergency room visits and inpatient stays in 2014, the latest year numbers were available.

Opioid-related emergency department visits were highest in Maryland, the study found. Nationwide inpatient stays increased 64 percent, with patients ages 25-44 and 45-64 having the highest rates. The data comes from 44 states and Washington, D.C.

Baltimore City Health Commissioner Dr. Leana Wen addressed hospitalizations and overdoses, saying: "It's not surprising. We are seeing a large increase in the number of fatal overdoses here in Baltimore and across Maryland."

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