Tag: promise to amanda

PPAHS Remembers Amanda Abbiehl on Her 8th Death Anniversary

The Physician-Patient Alliance for Health & Safety remembers Amanda Abbiehl on her 8th death anniversary.

As reported by ABC News, “When Amanda Abbiehl’s parents kissed her goodnight on July 16, 2010, they never imagined it would be for the last time.”

Continue reading “PPAHS Remembers Amanda Abbiehl on Her 8th Death Anniversary”

Remembering Amanda: 7 Years After An Opioid-Related Death

This weekend marked the 7th anniversary of Amanda Abbiehl’s tragic death. Her story continues to remind us of the need for continuous electronic monitoring for all patients receiving opioids.

Amanda was 18-years-old when she was admitted to hospital for a severe case of strep throat. To help her manage the pain, she was placed on a patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) pump. The next morning, she was found unresponsive and died. Though PCA pumps are designed to deliver an exact dosage of opioid – in Amanda’s case, hydromorphone – getting the ‘right’ dosage is not a simple task. Too high a dosage can lead to respiratory depression, sometimes in minutes. Continue reading “Remembering Amanda: 7 Years After An Opioid-Related Death”

Patient Safety Experts Share 4 Insights About Safer Opioid Pain Management

by Sean Power

Patient safety experts recently participated in a webinar on reducing adverse drug events and harm associated with postoperative opioid pain management programs. Premier Safety Institute, an organization dedicated to coordinating safety-related activities among national organizations to help improve safety, hosted the webinar.

The panel featured four patient safety experts: Continue reading “Patient Safety Experts Share 4 Insights About Safer Opioid Pain Management”