Surgery has long been known as a gateway to long-term opioid painkiller use and dependence. Studies show 9% of surgery patients who have never used an opioid become long-term users of opioids after being legally prescribed opioids after a surgery.

“Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System's mission and vision are to advance health together and be the most trusted partner in health. At Spartanburg Regional, our mission to advance health for surgical patients is using best practices through Enhanced Recovery After Surgery protocols that focus on minimizing complications, reducing reliance solely on opioids for pain management, and improving patient recovery,” said Rebecca Jablonski, ERAS Clinical Nurse Leader for Spartanburg Regional. “Our system's Enhanced Recovery After Surgery or ERAS programs benefit over 5,000 patients per year, achieving a total savings of over $7.4 million in length of stay reduction over the last five years while reducing 30-day readmissions and complications. Patients in our ERAS programs benefit by receiving education, instructions, and supplies given by trained ERAS nurses to be prepared for surgery. They also benefit from our holistic ERAS programs aimed at reducing pain, infection risk, and helping patients get better quicker. Currently, Spartanburg Regional has ERAS programs for the following surgical procedures: colorectal, orthopedic (shoulder, hip, knee, ankle and foot), spine, gynecology, cesarean, heart and lung surgeries."

In partnership with Goldfinch Health, Spartanburg Regional will expand its ERAS programs and further optimize pain management around surgery through the Billion Pill Pledge program. These industry-leading approaches are designed to enhance patients’ preparation for surgery, better manage any surgery-related pain, and minimize opioid use both before and after surgery.

"We are excited to launch this prevention program at our hospital system in conjunction with our system-wide initiatives addressing the opioid challenges in our communities. The opioid dilemma is not just a patient issue, but also a community health issue,” said Phil Feisal, Spartanburg Regional’s System Chief Operating Officer - Hospital Group & Executive Vice President. “The Billion Pill Pledge program will complement our current system-wide initiatives to address our community's opioid challenges by addressing surgical pain management through multimodal approaches and help us to better serve our patients and create a healthier community overall.”

"Our hospital system is partnering with Goldfinch Health to enact the Billion Pill Pledge program, which centers around community opioid reduction, enacting ERAS protocols into the surgical experience, and optimizing pain management,” said Dr. Chris Lombardozzi, Spartanburg Regional’s Senior Vice President & Chief Medical Officer - Hospitals. “This program complements our already existing robust ERAS programs by offering the opportunity to expand ERAS concepts to other surgical procedures not currently in an ERAS program, which can only benefit our community even more. Spartanburg Regional is the first site to participate in the Billion Pill Pledge program in South Carolina."

The mission of the Billion Pill Pledge is to reduce the need for opioids by treating pain better and removing up to one billion opioid pills leftover after surgery in the United States – thereby avoiding those pills being possibly diverted for unauthorized use by others. The Billion Pill Pledge is now live in five states, marking a significant step forward in starting to address the opioid crisis nationwide.

Patients participating in the program will benefit from the support of a Goldfinch Nurse Navigator, a trained expert in surgery and recovery. They will also receive a “Prepared for Surgery” care package that includes items designed to optimize a patient’s surgery experience. Goldfinch Nurses will also support patients during the critical periods before and after surgery to help increase the use of opioid minimizing surgery protocols.

Goldfinch Health is an Iowa City-based company dedicated to enhancing surgical outcomes, improving the surgery experience for patients and reducing opioid use. The Billion Pill Pledge program in South Carolina is made possible through the South Carolina Opioid Recovery Fund. Their leadership and commitment to prevention are critical in making a meaningful impact in the fight against the opioid epidemic.

For more information about the Billion Pill Pledge program, please contact Meredith Allan at Meredith.Allan@goldfinchhealth.com.

About Goldfinch Health: Goldfinch Health (www.goldfinchhealth.com) is a company that works to enhance surgical care, support patients surrounding surgery and encourage opioid-minimizing pain management post-surgery. Goldfinch Health launched the Billion Pill Pledge program in 2022 – an opioid first-dose prevention program.

About the Billion Pill Pledge: The Billion Pill Pledge (www.billionpillpledge.com) program extends education and resources to hospitals and providers serving rural communities statewide. Deploying evidence-based approaches to pain management around surgery, the Billion Pill Pledge program aims to enact long-term change for hospitals and the communities they serve. The mission of the Billion Pill Pledge is to reduce leftover opioids after surgery in the United States by 1 billion pills each year.