Nationwide drug shortages have forced physicians to consider alternative ways to take care of patients. At the forefront of this movement is the National Organization of Medically Equivalent Drug Seekers (NOMEDS), a pharmacist run think tank that leads the charge in giving physicians options for patient treatment.
NOMEDS President, P. In Discup Pharm. D., has spearheaded a program where OR pharmacies will partner with motivational speakers to provide a healthy alternative to hard to obtain medications such as opioids and local anesthetics. Dr. Discup said, “I don’t know what all the fuss is about, there are tons of internet videos that show properly motivated people doing amazing things. I don’t see why doctors can’t use the power of the mind to get patients through 17 hour orthopedic spine cases.”
Anesthesia resident, Bis M. Onitor, D.O., weighed in, “I was pretty surprised when my issued narc bag contained 100 micrograms of fentanyl and 36 index cards with affirmations printed on them for a CABG case. It was really hard to concentrate on those positive messages with all of the screaming coming from the other side of the drapes, but I’m a force for positive change and I can do anything I set my mind to!”
Neuro Anesthesiologist, Remy Phentanyl, M.D., has been pleasantly surprised with the new program. “Man, I thought doing an awake fiberoptic on a patient with an unstable C-spine with only 1cc of 1% lidocaine was going to be impossible. One look at that cat poster telling me to ‘Hang in There’ was all I needed to get that tube in!”
