With the help of a prominent political figure, a Pennsylvania hospital trade group is getting collaborative in its efforts to take on the opioid crisis.

The Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania (HAP) is currently working on launching a program called the Opioid Learning Action Network (LAN) that aims to improve information sharing between the state’s hospitals when it comes to opioids. The program is supported by a grant from Bloomberg Philanthropies, the charitable firm operated by former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg. HAP is part of a $50 million initiative by Bloomberg.

The program will  information sharing among hospitals dealing with opioid patients through a series of educational offerings, including annual meetings, regional gatherings, webinars, collaborative websites, and office hour periods.

“Through HAP’s Opioid LAN, the hospital community has a chance to share best practices and lessons learned, and work with each other to find ways to prevent overdoses and help patients receive the evidence-based treatment they need to recover,” HAP CEO Andy Carter explained in a statement.

At a meeting to discuss the program earlier this week, HAP officials noted that they hope the efforts will help stem the growth of a troubling statistic: In Pennsylvania, more than 4,400 people died of opioid-related issues in 2018. Jennifer Jordan, HAP’s vice president for regulatory advocacy, noted that the two-year effort will ensure every hospital has the best possible solutions.

“We are building a learning action network. People can come, they can get information, and they can take that information and apply it to their own institutions,” Jordan told the Pennsylvania Capital-Star.

HAP is currently accepting hospitals to take part in the collaborative effort on its website.

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