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BARNESVILLE -- An employee of Barnesville Hospital received a state-level award for his work to combat the opioid crisis.
Joseph Jeffries, pharmacy director at Barnesville Hospital, has been named Health Care Worker of the Year by the Ohio Hospital Association.
The award is presented each year to one Ohio caregiver who shows leadership, gives back to the community, reflects the values of the organization, and routinely goes beyond the call of duty. The Ohio Hospital Association recognized 62 health care workers earlier this month during its 103rd Annual Meeting Recognition Dinner event in Columbus.
Jeffries established Addiction Services of Eastern Ohio, an outpatient drug treatment center, at Barnesville Hospital last year in April.
The center offers withdrawal management, behavioral counseling and medication-assisted treatment to residents of the local area.
In the past year, the center has helped more than 100 people receive treatment, according to information provided by the center.
"It's essentially a one-stop shop for addiction care," Jeffries said. "Patients can get their get their withdrawal treatment and a counselor at the same place. It can be a week-long process for withdrawal therapy and sometimes it can take up to 14 days, depending on how severe the addiction is and what kind of drug it is."
Jeffries said there are about 60,000 deaths in the United States each year due to opioids. The state of Ohio ranks among the top five states with the highest percentages of opioid deaths, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
"Ohio approaches about 4,000 to 5,000 deaths a year," Jeffries said. "Belmont County in particular shows a lot of those deaths."
David Phillips, CEO of Barnesville Hospital, remarked on Jeffries and his work in a statement issued by the hospital.
"This is such an incredible and deserving honor for Joe," Phillips said. "Joe's tireless efforts, vision and passion to provide drug treatment options for area residents has made a difference in the lives of many individuals, their families and for our community. Barnesville Hospital is extremely proud of Joe for winning this award."
Other finalists for the award were Linda Maloy from Avita Health System, Michelle Stratton from Blanchard Valley Hospital, Amy Preble from ProMedica Fostoria Community Hospital and Collins Uzuegbu from Mercy Health Lorain Region.