Health Summit aims to improve U.P. Health

MARQUETTE — Opioid use is common in Michigan, especially in the U.P. Local and non–local people and organizations are working to find ways to stop it.

The 2018 The U.P. Health Strategies Summit was held today at the Ramada. Topics included opioid addiction, pain management, the opioid crisis, and treatment. Organizations like the Superior Health Foundation, Upper Peninsula Health Plan and the Great Lakes Recovery Center are working together to find strategies to help combat opioid addiction.

“As we implement strategies, the hopes are that we’ll start seeing some of those numbers improving,” said Physician Kevin Piggot. “But we are also influenced by different pressures in our own environment that puts us in position that, ultimately, we want to have a little better handle on.”

According to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, the amount of deaths related to overdosing in 2016 was higher than traffic deaths statewide.

The summit also aimed to connect people working to improve health around the Upper Peninsula.