A Framework for EMS Outreach for Drug Overdose Survivors: A Case Report of the Houston Emergency Opioid Engagement System.

A Framework for EMS Outreach for Drug Overdose Survivors: A Case Report of the Houston Emergency Opioid Engagement System. Prehosp Emerg Care. 2020 Apr 14;:1-13 Authors: Langabeer JR, Persse D, Yatsco A, O'Neal MM, Champagne-Langabeer T Abstract Fatalities from drug-induced overdoses in the United States have taken greater than 292,000 lives in the last five years, and nearly two-thirds of these are opioid-related. The burden on prehospital emergency medical services (EMS) to respond to these incidents is growing. The standard of care typically involves overdose reversal and rapid transport, although a few agencies have begun to use community paramedicine to more proactively follow-up, initiate treatment, and refer patients to addiction medicine providers. In this manuscript we share the details of an outreach case study to serve as a blueprint for other agencies and municipalities to adopt and refine. The University of Texas Health Science Center, in partnership with the Houston Fire Department and other local first responder agencies, developed a program in Houston, Texas based on rapid response to post-overdose survivors using available incident data from the primary municipal agencies. The Houston Emergency Opioid Engagement System (HEROES) was created to more comprehensively address the opioid epidemic. By utilizing data extracted from the patient care record system, a team comprised of a peer recovery coach and a paramedic is d...
Source: Prehospital Emergency Care - Category: Endocrinology Tags: Prehosp Emerg Care Source Type: research