Corewell Health makes Narcan more accessible by installing vending units

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., August 31, 2023 – Corewell Health™ is making Narcan readily available to the public at select emergency departments and medical offices. The hospital system recently installed 13 new Narcan vending units at locations across the northern region of Michigan. Narcan, sometimes referred to as the generic name naloxone, is the medication used to reverse opioid overdoses. It will be available at these locations free of charge.

“Last year, Michigan saw 1,925 opioid deaths, which could have been prevented with the use of Narcan” said Kate Behrenwald, PA-C, Addiction Medicine, Corewell Health. “Having Narcan on you is like having a fire extinguisher—you have it and hope you never have to use it, but when you need it, it’s lifesaving.”

Narcan vending units are at the following Corewell Health locations:

Corewell Health Big Rapids Emergency Department
Corewell Health Reed City Emergency Department
Corewell Health Reed City Family Practice
Corewell Health Evart Family Practice
Corewell Health Canadian Lakes Practice
Corewell Health Care Center, Big Rapids
Corewell Health Greenville Emergency Department
Corewell Health Care Center, Lakeview
Corewell Health Belding Family Practice
Corewell Health Greenville Family Practice
Corewell Health Greenville Internal Medicine and Pediatrics

“Narcan saves lives,” said Scott Lombard, Corewell Health Heathier Communities Manager, Northeast Region. “It’s important to us to help fight this opioid epidemic and get Narcan in as many hands as possible.”

The Narcan vending units are being funded by donors to the Corewell Health Foundation and partnerships with Ferris State University and a donation from Central Michigan Recovery and Education Network.

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About Corewell Health™
People are at the heart of everything we do, and the inspiration for our legacy of outstanding outcomes, innovation, strong community partnerships, philanthropy and transparency. Corewell Health is a not-for-profit health system that provides health care and coverage with an exceptional team of 60,000+ dedicated people—including more than 11,500 physicians and advanced practice providers and more than 15,000 nurses providing care and services in 22 hospitals, 300+ outpatient locations and several post-acute facilities—and Priority Health, a provider-sponsored health plan serving more than 1.3 million members. Through experience and collaboration, we are reimagining a better, more equitable model of health and wellness. For more information, visit corewellhealth.org

Contact:
Rick Jensen
Media Relations
Office: 616.391.5291
Mobile: 616.706.2608
Email: richard.jensen@corewellhealth.org