To the Nantucket Community,

The members of the Nantucket Cottage Hospital medical staff were pleased with the community response and turnout for the Nantucket Opioid Symposium on May 9^th. We were represented on the panel by Dr. Tim Lepore, and appreciate that the island community is confronting this important issue.

As physicians, we are all concerned about the potential impact prescription opioids can have on our patients, while at the same time we recognize the benefits of these drugs in managing pain when used responsibly.

We want island residents to know that all members of the NCH medical staff are registered with the Massachusetts Prescription Monitoring Program, or PMP. This online program allows licensed prescribers and pharmacists to view the prescription histories of their patients over the past year. This gives us the ability to identify patients who might be “shopping around” in an attempt to abuse their prescription.

We look forward to future opportunities to continue the dialogue with the community about the important issue of opioid abuse, and exploring potential solutions with our island partners and Nantucket residents.

Sincerely, the NCH Medical Staff:

• George Butterworth
• Faith Frable
• Richard Koehler
• Margaret Koehm
• Heidi Larson
• Jock Lawrason
• Tim Lepore
• Rocco Monto
• Diane Pearl
• Tim Tsai