SUPPORT RESOURCES FOR PATIENTS OF SUSPENDED PHYSICIAN

Dover, DE (November 20, 2014) - On November 5, 2014, the controlled substance registration of Patrick A. Titus, MD, was suspended for one year. Under Delaware law, physicians discontinuing business or leaving the State must notify their patients in a daily, local newspaper. This notice must explain how a patient can obtain their records.

Ideally, the best individual situated to provide their patient with guidance and referrals to other providers, is that patient's physician. If that doesn't occur, patients being treated over long periods of time for pain with opiates such as oxycodone, fentanyl, morphine and oxymorphone are in need of providers with expertise in treating and managing pain.

In preparation for the recent Titus suspension and wanting to increase the opportunity for continuity of care for patients, the Division of Professional Regulation, the Division of Public Health, the Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health Counselling and the Office of Controlled Substances coordinated efforts to notify hospital and community pharmacies, hospital emergency rooms and treatment programs.

Patients of Dr. Titus who are seeking referrals to physicians may contact Dr. Titus' office or the local hospitals, Bayhealth's Milford Memorial Hospital, Beebe Medical Center in Lewes, and Nanticoke Health Services in Seaford. Referrals may be limited in the availability of specialists that are accepting new patients. The physician referral phone number for Bayhealth Milford is 866-BAY-DOCS (229-3627). The number for Beebe Healthcare is 302-645-3332. The number for Nanticoke Health Services is 877-NHS4DOCS (647-4362).

In addition, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service's Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration provides a National Helpline to provide referrals for treatment services. That Helpline is staffed 24 hours a day year-round and can be contacted at 800-662-4359.

While opiates serve a very real purpose, they are also in a family of prescription drugs which can be easily subject to addiction. Twice as many Americans regularly abused prescription drugs than the number who regularly used cocaine, hallucinogens, heroin, and inhalants combined. Accidental poisonings have surpassed motor vehicle accidents as the number one cause of fatalities in Delaware.

Recognizing the importance of education and prevention in addressing the addiction epidemic, the State recently launched www.helpisherede.com, an information website that puts an emphasis on prevention, treatment and recovery; and announced the launch of a public awareness campaign that will support the website and focus on reducing the stigma associated with addiction. The website contains detailed information for those seeking substance abuse recovery services, as well as information on identifying addiction, supporting loved ones and more.

Attached is a list of Kent and Sussex Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health Licensed Treatment Providers for those seeking addiction recovery services.

• Kent-Sussex SUD Providers

• A person who is deaf, hard-of-hearing, deaf-blind, or speech-disabled can call the DPH phone number above by using TTY services. Dial 7-1-1 or 800-232-5460 to type your conversation to a relay operator, who reads your conversation to a hearing person at DPH. The relay operator types the hearing person's spoken words back to the TTY user. To learn more about TTY availability in Delaware, visit www.delawarerelay.com

  Delaware Health and Social Services is committed to improving the quality of the lives of Delaware's citizens by promoting health and well-being, fostering self-sufficiency, and protecting vulnerable populations. DPH, a division of DHSS, urges Delawareans to make healthier choices with the 5-2-1 Almost None campaign: eat 5 or more fruits and vegetables each day, have no more than 2 hours of recreational screen time each day (includes TV, computer, gaming), get 1 or more hours of physical activity each day, drink almost no sugary beverages.

  
  
  

  Delaware Health and Social Services is committed to improving the quality of the lives of Delaware's citizens by promoting health and well-being, fostering self-sufficiency, and protecting vulnerable populations.