Combating Opioid Overdose, Metro Hospital To Offer Acupuncture

SHAKOPEE, MN — St. Francis Regional Medical Center in Shakopee now offers acupuncture services to patients visiting the emergency room (ER). To reduce the need for pain medication, St. Francis emergency patients have the opportunity to receive acupuncture, a natural way to heal pain and anxiety.

The service – provided to patients for free thanks to the Saints Healthcare Funds – is available to all ER patients experiencing anything from a minor migraine to significant trauma. More than 30,000 patients visit St. Francis’ emergency room each year, according to a news release.

“Acupuncture is a minimally invasive, completely safe, highly-effective therapeutic option for patients experiencing pain,” said Dr. Jeff Hill, emergency physician at St. Francis Regional Medical Center, in a statement. “And the best part is it’s a treatment without mind-altering chemicals, so our patients can walk out of the hospital, drive home, and go on with their day.”

Acupuncture, a traditional Chinese treatment technique, stimulates natural endorphins in the body, promoting better circulation and natural healing. A recent study conducted by the Penny George Institute for Health and Healing found that ER patients who receive acupuncture experience significant reductions in pain and anxiety. St. Francis hopes this added service will replace for prescribed opioids for many patients.

“Ninety-one Americans die every day from an opioid overdose; it’s a national epidemic. Offering acupuncture in our emergency department is one way for St. Francis to decrease incidences of prescribed opioids and help be a part of the solution,” said Dr. Brian Clarkowski, emergency department medical director at St. Francis Regional Medical Center. “We are proud to be among the first emergency departments in the nation to provide this treatment to our patients.”

Beyond the ER, St. Francis offers acupuncture to patients as part of its integrative health program, a holistic approach to health care that taps into the body’s natural healing capabilities. St. Francis’s integrative health team even provides acupuncture to cancer patients while receiving chemotherapy treatments, helping to reduce anxiety, pain and nausea.

“Acupuncture is quickly becoming embraced in American medicine because the results from this ancient medicine cannot be ignored,” said Kristianne Schultz, a licensed acupuncturist at St. Francis Regional Medical Center. “What better way to treat pain than through the natural stimulation of the body’s endorphins and innate healing mechanisms.”

St. Francis Regional Medical Center is owned by Allina Health, HealthPartners Park Nicollet, and Essentia Health.

Image via St. Francis Regional Medical Center