WHS battles opioid crisis

Hospitals in Washington and Greene Counties and across the United States face different challenges everyday. Terry Wiltrout, president of Washington Health System Greene and vice president of operations at Washington Health System, recently spoke at Waynesburg University about these challenges.

One of the greatest challenges: the opioid epidemic.

The Washington Health System owns the Greenbriar Treatment Center and has collaborated with Greenbriar to help the Greene County hospital battle the epidemic.

“We’ve worked with them over the past two years to locate space in the hospital to put in a new program to help deal with the opioid crisis,” said Wiltrout.  

Washington Health System has invested a substantial amount of money into updating the facilities for this new program as well, Wiltrout said.

“Greenbriar will be responsible for running the treatment program,” said Wiltrout. “It is the first of its kind in Southwestern Pennsylvania. It’s for people that need help, and they will remain in the hospital from 30 up to 100 days.”

Wiltrout said that the Long Term Residential Drug and Alcohol treatment rogram differs from most programs because it isn’t just a detox program, with more than immediate recovery taking place.  

“Most programs that are out there are just detox,” said Wiltrout. “Maybe a couple week programs and [other facilities] are finding that the longer you can keep [patients] for treatment and therapy, the more likely they will stay clean.”

The Washington Health System also just received its licensure from the Department of Drug and Alcohol, and Wiltrout said that they are currently working with the Department of Health to finalize the licensure and get the program running by the end of next month.

Residents in Washington and Greene Counties are the main focus of this program, Wiltrout said.

“Since it’s the first of its kind in Southwestern Pennsylvania there is going to be a demand,” said Wiltrout. “But going back to what our community needs are, we want to make sure we are supporting our community.”