In a front-page article, the New York Times (8/18, A1, Goodnough) reported on the small group of hospitals “that have started initiating opioid addiction treatment in the” emergency department (ED). The facilities provide buprenorphine, “one of three medications approved in the United States to treat opioid addiction,” on demand, with the hope that it may push more addicts to seek addiction treatment. The change was inspired by a 2015 Yale-New Haven Hospital study that found “addicted patients who were given buprenorphine in the” ED “were twice as likely to be in treatment a month later as those who were simply handed an informational pamphlet with phone numbers.” Since it was published, “a few dozen hospital” EDs have implemented similar programs.
Related Links:
— “This E.R. Treats Opioid Addiction on Demand. That’s Very Rare., “Abby Goodnough, The New York Times, August 18, 2018.