In a new Leadership Page published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, Richard J. Kovacs, MD, FACC; Jason H. Gilbert, PhD, MBA, RN, NEA-BC; and William J. Oetgen, MD, MBA, FACC, discuss how the opioid crisis is affecting clinicians, hospitals and practices. There is a need for programs to treat infective endocarditis caused by injection drug use, but creating such programs is complicated by the societal stigmatization of addiction, the authors write. In addition, opioid-related claims are a common cause of litigation, and medical practitioners treating these patients often face burnout. "This is an issue that, if addressed now, could not only mean better patient outcomes, but also help to reduce health care costs and improve clinician well-being," they add. Read more.