--- title: MEDNAX Addressing Opioid Use and Abuse through Education, Advocacy and Research description: MEDNAX is committed to addressing opioid-related disorders, opioid use and abuse, and opioid management through a multifaceted approach. Register for a webinar image: https://blog.pediatrix.com/hubfs/opioid.png --- [Find Care](https://www.pediatrix.com/find-care) [Pay My Bill](https://www.pediatrix.com/pay-my-bill) [Careers](https://www.pediatrix.com/careers) - [Find Care Nationwide](https://www.pediatrix.com/find-care) - [Our Services](https://www.pediatrix.com/our-services) - [Prenatal Care](https://www.pediatrix.com/our-services/prenatal-care) - [Maternal-Fetal Medicine](https://www.pediatrix.com/our-services/prenatal-care/maternal-fetal-medicine) - [Obstetrics and Gynecology](https://www.pediatrix.com/our-services/prenatal-care/obstetrics-and-gynecology) - [Neonatal Care](https://www.pediatrix.com/our-services/neonatal-care) - [Neonatology](https://www.pediatrix.com/our-services/neonatal-care/neonatology) - [Newborn and Nursery Services](https://www.pediatrix.com/our-services/neonatal-care/newborn-nursery-services) - [Newborn Hearing Screening](https://www.pediatrix.com/our-services/neonatal-care/newborn-hearing-screen) - [Pediatric Care](https://www.pediatrix.com/our-services/pediatric-care) - [Audiology](https://www.pediatrix.com/our-services/pediatric-care/audiology) - [Cardiology](https://www.pediatrix.com/our-services/pediatric-care/cardiology) - [Critical Care Medicine](https://www.pediatrix.com/our-services/pediatric-care/critical-care-medicine) - [Developmental Medicine](https://www.pediatrix.com/our-services/pediatric-care/developmental-medicine) - [Emergency Medicine](https://www.pediatrix.com/our-services/pediatric-care/emergency-medicine) - [Endocrinology](https://www.pediatrix.com/our-services/pediatric-care/endocrinology) - [Gastroenterology](https://www.pediatrix.com/our-services/pediatric-care/gastroenterology) - [Adolescent Gynecology](https://www.pediatrix.com/our-services/pediatric-care/adolescent-gynecology) - [Hematology](https://www.pediatrix.com/our-services/pediatric-care/hematology) - [Hospital Medicine](https://www.pediatrix.com/our-services/pediatric-care/hospital-medicine) - [Infectious Disease](https://www.pediatrix.com/our-services/pediatric-care/infectious-disease) - [Neurology](https://www.pediatrix.com/our-services/pediatric-care/neurology) - [Newborn Hearing Screening](https://www.pediatrix.com/our-services/neonatal-care/newborn-hearing-screen) - [Newborn Nursery](https://www.pediatrix.com/our-services/neonatal-care/newborn-nursery-services) - [Ophthalmology](https://www.pediatrix.com/our-services/pediatric-care/ophthalmology) - [Orthopedics](https://www.pediatrix.com/our-services/pediatric-care/orthopedics) - [Otolaryngology](https://www.pediatrix.com/our-services/pediatric-care/otolaryngology) - [Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery](https://www.pediatrix.com/our-services/pediatric-care/plastic-and-reconstructive-surgery) - [Primary and Urgent Care](https://www.pediatrix.com/our-services/pediatric-care/primary-and-urgent-care) - [Pulmonology](https://www.pediatrix.com/our-services/pediatric-care/pulmonology) - [Surgery](https://www.pediatrix.com/our-services/pediatric-care/surgery) - [Urgent](https://www.pediatrix.com/our-services/pediatric-care/urgent) - [Urology](https://www.pediatrix.com/our-services/pediatric-care/urology) - [Adult Care](https://www.pediatrix.com/our-services/adult-care) - [Congenital Cardiology](https://www.pediatrix.com/our-services/adult-care/congenital-cardiology) - [Gynecology](https://www.pediatrix.com/our-services/adult-care/gynecology) - [Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery](https://www.pediatrix.com/our-services/adult-care/plastic-and-reconstructive-surgery) - [For Hospitals](https://www.pediatrix.com/for-hospitals) - [For Clinicians](https://www.pediatrix.com/for-clinicians) - [Careers](https://www.pediatrix.com/careers) - [About Us](https://www.pediatrix.com/about) - [Pediatrix.com](https://www.pediatrix.com/) - [About](https://www.pediatrix.com/about) - [For Media](https://www.pediatrix.com/about/for-media) - [Pediatrix Blog](https://blog.pediatrix.com) - MEDNAX Addressing Opioid Use and Abuse through Education, Advocacy and Research # MEDNAX Addressing Opioid Use and Abuse through Education, Advocacy and Research October 10, 2017 | by MEDNAX ![MEDNAX Addressing Opioid Use and Abuse through Education, Advocacy and Research](https://blog.pediatrix.com/hubfs/opioid.png) America's opioid crisis has been declared a national emergency. In its [letter](https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/whitehouse.gov/files/ondcp/commission-interim-report.pdf) to the President, the federal Opioid Commission stated: "With approximately 142 Americans dying every day \[from a drug overdose\], America is enduring a death toll equal to September 11th every three weeks." For its part in overcoming this epidemic, MEDNAX, a national health solutions partner with nearly 40 years of experience, is committed to addressing opioid-related disorders and [opioid management](https://blog.pediatrix.com/mednax-affiliated-anesthesiologist-advises-on-michigan-opioid-abuse-commission) through a multifaceted approach. MEDNAX is fully aware of the effect opioid addiction has on maternal-fetal and neonatal medicine, as well as anesthesia and pain management care. In response to the cycle of opioid addiction - from maternal use to infant withdrawal - our comprehensive initiative includes advocacy efforts, research projects, a National Opioid Management Collaborative and various educational activities. Our opioid-specific continuing education is available for free to clinical professionals within MEDNAX and outside of our company, and was inspired by MEDNAX's long history of treating patients on the continuum of care. Our company is an accredited provider of continuing medical and nursing education, hosting live conferences and webinars, and online education to support clinicians in a wide variety of areas. ## About the education Provided through The MEDNAX Center for Research, Education, Quality and Safety (CREQS), our webinars are unique in that they optimize multi-disciplinary fields to provide broad information access for clinicians. The fields of medicine will include maternal-fetal, anesthesiology and neonatology, with topics in epidemiology, screening and prevention. Experts share current knowledge to help clinicians better understand what has led to this crisis, which is an important step in addressing specific and effective treatments. The webinars cover perinatal through postnatal care, including how opioids affect pregnancy, how opioid addiction affects pregnancy and Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome. We also address pain management, such as proper prescribing of opioids and interdisciplinary outpatient chronic pain management. ## Register for a live webinar ##### Opioid Portfolio Webinar Schedule   **Opioid Addiction in Pregnancy with live Q&A** Fri, Oct 20, 2017 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM EDT [Register](https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/8943586295661673218) (Webinar ID: 511-030-147) **Interdisciplinary Outpatient Chronic Pain Management with live Q&A** Thu, Oct 26, 2017 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM EDT [Register](https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/4378510774159370498) (Webinar ID: 498-235-163) **Responsible Prescribing of Opioids for Non Cancer Pain with live Q&A** Mon, Nov 6, 2017 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM EST [Register](https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/1404415383927800322) (Webinar ID: 603-971-483) **Treatment for Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome with live Q&A** Tue, Nov 7, 2017 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM EST [Register](https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/6712926792062365441) (Webinar ID: 626-327-355) **Opioids, Pregnancy, and You with live Q&A** Tue, Nov 14, 2017 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM EST [Register](https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/225107799276375810) (Webinar ID: 414-687-635) **Interdisciplinary Outpatient Chronic Pain Management with live Q&A** Tue, Nov 28, 2017 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM EST [Register](https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/3323717383815818242) (Webinar ID: 882-797-371) ## Access education on demand Our webinar series will be available on demand very soon in html5, mp4, mp3 and non-audio formats. To earn credit, a participating clinician will select the activity title, review the About CE section for each educational activity, listen and/or read the presentation, successfully complete the post-test assigned to the credit type sought and complete the evaluation. For more information, please visit us online at [www.creqs.com](http://www.creqs.com) or email [opioidqc@mednax.com](mailto:opioidqc@mednax.com). ## What this matters: America's Opioid Crisis "By the Numbers" “Every **25 minutes**, a baby is born suffering from opioid withdrawal.”  ([source](https://www.drugabuse.gov/related-topics/trends-statistics/infographics/dramatic-increases-in-maternal-opioid-use-neonatal-abstinence-syndrome)) “Newborns with \[Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS)\] stayed in the hospital for an average of **16.9 days**.” ([source](https://www.drugabuse.gov/related-topics/trends-statistics/infographics/dramatic-increases-in-maternal-opioid-use-neonatal-abstinence-syndrome)) “From 2000 through 2009, the incidence of maternal opioid use during pregnancy **increased from 1.19 to 5.77** per 1,000 hospital live births per year.” ([source](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4607033/#R1)) “An estimated **21,732 babies** were born with \[NAS\] in the United States in 2012, a **5-fold increase** since 2000.” ([source](https://www.drugabuse.gov/related-topics/trends-statistics/infographics/dramatic-increases-in-maternal-opioid-use-neonatal-abstinence-syndrome)) “Pharmacological intervention for withdrawal is required for **50-70% of infants**. ([source](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4607033/#R1))  “The hospital costs for newborns with NAS were **$66,700** on average compared to $3,500 for those without NAS.” ([source](https://www.drugabuse.gov/related-topics/trends-statistics/infographics/dramatic-increases-in-maternal-opioid-use-neonatal-abstinence-syndrome)) “The ‘economic burden’ of prescription opioid misuse alone in the United States is **$78.5 billion** **a year**, including the costs of health care, lost productivity, addiction treatment and criminal justice involvement.” ([source](https://www.drugabuse.gov/drugs-abuse/opioids/opioid-crisis#two)) ## About CREQS The MEDNAX Center for Research, Education, Quality and Safety offers a complex portfolio of initiatives that are aligned to achieve our main mission to take great care of the patient, every day and in every way. Our team is engaged in numerous clinical research projects, several multi-disciplinary quality collaboratives and process improvement activities that are aligned with our quality and safety strategic goals to improve patient safety and outcomes. In addition, CREQS offers a broad spectrum of educational activities and a variety of conferences for all our clinical providers. To learn more about our center and how to become engaged, please contact us at [CREQS@mednax.com](mailto:CREQS@mednax.com). Tags [Maternal-Fetal Medicine](https://blog.pediatrix.com/topic/maternal-fetal-medicine) [Patient Care](https://blog.pediatrix.com/topic/patient-care) [CREQS](https://blog.pediatrix.com/topic/creqs) [Prenatal](https://blog.pediatrix.com/topic/prenatal) ![Footer wave](https://blog.pediatrix.com/hubfs/raw_assets/public/Pediatrix_April2023/images/waves-right.svg "Footer wave") ## We deliver advanced medical solutions to patients of all ages. 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