“American emergency medicine physicians have been taking measures to address the ongoing opioid crisis, which affects emergency departments (EDs) throughout the country, according to a clinical review article published in the Annals of Emergency Medicine. After assessing current ED protocols for dealing with patients diagnosed with or suspected of opioid use disorder (OUD), the investigators formulated 4 recommendations aiming to better identify individuals with OUD, treat acute withdrawal syndrome, implement medication-assisted therapy (MAT), and transition those affected to outpatient care.
Key recommendation: Before discharge, every effort should be made to rapidly transition patients with OUD to a community outpatient setting, ideally via a “warm handoff” that involves direct contact between ED staff and outpatient caregivers. Along with continued MAT, outpatients should receive psychological counseling and social services, in order to optimize treatment outcomes.”
Source: ClinicalPainAdvisor.com – July 16, 2018
