Houston ED Opioid System Integrates Assertive Outreach with Comprehensive Care for Opioid Use Disorder

Eight months ago, 35-year old Adam Smith (name changed to protect the patient’s identity) was living in his car in Houston, dealing with the fallout from opioid use disorder (i.e., addiction). Even after years of seeking help, he was struggling to pick up the pieces after spending time in jail, ruining relationships, being let go from jobs and losing homes. Adam is one of more than two million people dealing with opioid use disorder, a devastating brain disease with negative consequences to individuals, as well as their families and communities. Adam was fortunate to have been connected to HEROES, a proactive treatment program, and has been sober ever since … but not everyone is so lucky. Numbers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show more than 130 people die every day from opioid overdose. Many of those fatalities start with a call to 9-1-1 for help following an overdose, making EMS a key player in the epidemic. Challenges in Treatment   The challenge is that the current healthcare landscape has uneven accessibility; patients with overdoses have no arranged follow-up care, requiring individuals to seek treatment voluntarily on their own. The system of care is difficult to navigate, resources are limited, waitlists are long, and accessing care is almost impossible in some situations. A recent study shows that there are significant disparities in the availability of opioid treatment providers across the U.S.1 Despite this dark picture, there is good ...
Source: JEMS Administration and Leadership - Category: Emergency Medicine Authors: Tags: Exclusive Articles Administration and Leadership Mobile Integrated Healthcare Source Type: news