ENA, ACEP Join Forces to Raise Awareness of OTC Medical Misuses

On June 21 and 22, ENA 2004 President-Elect Patricia Kunz Howard, RN, PhD, CEN, in conjunction with J. Brian Hancock, MD, President of the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP), participated in a series of national and local media interviews to raise awareness about the risks associated with misusing over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers such as ibuprofen, naproxen, and aspirin.

Drs. Howard and Hancock spent two days in New York City, where they interviewed with reporters from all over the country about the importance of working with a doctor, nurse, or pharmacist to select the right pain medication, as well as describe steps consumers can take to reduce their risk of complications. This partnership was forged in response to the more than 100,000 hospitalizations and more than 16,000 deaths per year in the United States that are linked to gastrointestinal complications from OTC and prescription nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).

As part of the ENA-ACEP partnership, a national survey (sponsored by Pfizer) of more than 3,400 adults was undertaken to assess the attitudes and behaviors of consumers in using OTC pain relievers. The survey found that approximately half of respondents misuse OTC medications – either by taking more pills than the recommended dose or by taking doses too frequently.

Drs. Howard and Hancock were interviewed by 28 reporters in some of the country’s top television and radio markets including Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Chicago, and Washington D.C. Highlights from the media tour included interviews with The New York Times and Associated Press Radio. Dr. Howard was also interviewed by Lifetime Magazine for an article slated to run later this year.

“ENA believes this is an important campaign because we, as ED professionals, can directly impact consumers and help them, through education, avoid complications from over-the-counter pain relievers,” said Dr. Howard. “It’s important for consumers to realize that misuse of these medicines can lead to serious problems that may require emergency care. We are very happy so far with the response to these efforts and the general interest in this important topic.”

To ensure consumers have the facts they need to minimize their risk, ENA and ACEP are providing resources to help the public manage pain safely, and prevent complications of OTC pain relievers via a toll-free number and Web site. By calling 866/ER INFO-8 or logging onto www.beOTCsmart.com, consumers can get helpful information about safe pain management.

Additionally, over the next few months, ENA and ACEP will continue to conduct interviews about the potential risks associated with misusing OTC pain relievers via our local chapters. Look for your local chapter leaders to discuss this topic in local newspapers and in television reports in Columbus, OH; Tampa, FL; Denver, CO; Houston, TX; San Diego, CA; and Chicago, IL.  More cities may be added toward the end of this year.

Retrieval Campaign Nets 296 Renewed Memberships

ENA has recently partnered with ComNet Marketing Group to assist us in a membership retrieval campaign. “ENA has always done extremely well in recruiting new members,” states Judie Cruse, manager, Member Services. “However, we needed to place an extra effort in assisting our current members with membership renewal.”

Well known and highly recommended by many associations, ComNet is a specialist in their field of telemarketing. Many ENA members may have already been contacted by a ComNet representative as part of our recent campaign to contact members who let their membership lapse over the last 18 months. ComNet has done an outstanding job reaching out to more than 8,000 lapsed members. They have successfully renewed 296 memberships during the campaign that began in August 2004.

ComNet is an authorized partner with ENA, and members can be confident that security measures are in place when they offer their credit card number to the ComNet representative.

ENA’s current membership stands at 25,000 and we look forward to continued growth!