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Ideal Option Report Shows Fentanyl Use Increased by 158% In Maryland

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HAGERSTOWN, Md. (PRWEB)

Ideal Option, a national leader in outpatient medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for opioids, alcohol, methamphetamine and other substances, opened its first clinic in Hagerstown on August 21, 2017. Since then, Ideal Option has opened a second location in Cumberland and treated over 2,300 residents with substance use disorder (SUD).

Though rates of opioid-related fatalities had previously been declining across the state of Maryland, due to pandemic-induced stress and hardships, those numbers have been back on the rise. The Vital Statistics Administration and the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner reported that Western Maryland saw the largest regional percent increase (+45.9%) in opioid-related overdose deaths in the state from 2019 to 2020:


  • Allegany County experienced a 108% increase, the largest percent increase in the state.

  • Washington County experienced a 32.5% increase and accounted for 66.7% of all opioid-related deaths.

  • Garret County experienced a 16.7% increase.

According to the 2020 Annual Report published by the Maryland Opioid Command Center, “Opioids were involved in 90.1 percent of all substance use-related intoxication fatalities in 2020, a higher annual proportion of fatal overdoses than at any other time during the opioid crisis.” Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, was involved in 93.1% of all opioid-related deaths.

Ideal Option recently released its 2020 Annual Patient Outcomes Report based on lab data collected from more than 1,200 MD State Medicaid patients.

“As 2020 progressed, our enrolling MD Medicaid population showed a 158% increase in positive rates for fentanyl,” stated Tim Kilgallon, CEO of Ideal Option. “We are experienced with the complexities of fentanyl use disorder and are ready to provide evidence-based treatment for this dangerous and highly addictive synthetic opioid to as many residents of Western Maryland who need it.”

The Hagerstown Ideal Option clinic is open Monday and Tuesday, 7:30 a.m. – 6 p.m. and Wednesday and Thursday, 8:30 a.m. – 6 p.m., located at 265 Mill St., Ste. #100, Hagerstown, MD 21740.

The Cumberland Ideal Option clinic is open Monday through Thursday, 7:30 a.m. – 6 p.m. and is located at 47 Virginia Ave., Cumberland, MD 21502.

Ideal Option has no waitlists and accepts most forms of insurance including Medicare, Medicaid, Aetna, Blue Cross, Beacon Value, TriWest and Optum.

Patients can make an appointment by calling 1.877.522.1275 or visiting http://www.idealoption.com.  

About Ideal Option 

Headquartered in Kennewick, Washington, Ideal Option was founded in 2012 and has since helped nearly 45,000 patients through a network of over 65 office-based medication-assisted treatment (MAT) clinics across 10 states. With a mission to serve under-served communities, Ideal Option accepts all forms of insurance including Medicaid and Medicare. Financial assistance and payment plans are also available. 

Ideal Option’s team of medical providers carry certifications in Addiction and Emergency Medicine, Internal, OB/GYN, and Family Medicine, among other specialties. The company also employs social workers, caseworkers, counselors, and mental health practitioners. This holistic approach helps drive positive outcomes, including family stability, stable housing, improved overall health, and reduced rates of recidivism. 

In all the communities it serves, Ideal Option collaborates with existing stakeholders and providers to improve the continuum of care. This approach includes partnerships with emergency rooms and county jail systems, where individuals with substance use disorder often appear, as well as collaborating with numerous support agencies and municipal programs addressing social needs such as housing, mental health, and nutrition support.

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