OAKLAND, California., 28 August 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Patients requiring treatment for opioid use disorder can find it in the emergency department at the Wilma Chan Highland Hospital Campus of the Alameda Health System (AHS) in Oakland. Emergency physicians and drug counselors at AHS Bridge Clinic offer a model for easy access to care that begins with a simple visit to the emergency department. It is an evidence-based strategy that has been successfully implemented in emergency departments across Californiaaccordingly new research.
Provider at the Alameda Health System Bridge Clinic on the Wilma Chan Highland Hospital campus in Oakland, CA.
The AHS Bridge Clinic is a partner company of CA Bridgea national initiative of the Public Health Institute’s Bridge Center, founded in 2018 by a team of emergency medicine physicians to improve emergency care for individuals with opioid use disorder using a treatment model with three core elements: (1) low-threshold access to buprenorphine, an opioid use disorder medication that relieves symptoms of craving and withdrawal, (2) patient guidance to outpatient care, and (3) harm reduction.
“AHS was one of the first health systems in California to use the prospect of medication to help patients struggling with opioid use. They served as an inspiration and role model not only to the rest of the state’s hospitals, but also to the overwhelming majority of the state’s hospitals that were willing to treat patients who came to the emergency room with substance abuse problems,” said Elizabeth KeatingMPA, Clinical Program Director at CA Bridge.
A recent study written by a team of researchers including Dr. CA Bridge co-founder and AHS chief of addiction medicine. Andrew Herringfound that more than 80 percent of California Hospitals have adopted the CA Bridge model and streamlined data reporting requirements between April 2019 And June 2023.
The rapid expansion of CA Bridge in emergency departments across the state suggests that CA Bridge offers a promising implementation model that could exponentially expand opioid use disorder treatment and scale beyond California.
“The emergency department is the gateway to health care for many of our most vulnerable patients, especially the uninsured. And yet it is underused in treating people with opioid use disorder,” said Dr. Herring. “Expanding addiction treatment in emergency departments removes many of the barriers to treatment faced by people with opioid use disorder. The expansion of this strategy over the past four years demonstrates that it is an effective model, and we hope to see it adopted nationwide.”
A second studypublished on July 8adds to a growing body of research examining the effectiveness of buprenorphine for treating opioid use disorder. It suggests that patients may be able to safely take buprenorphine earlier in the withdrawal process than previously known.
A formulation of the drug that allows for extended treatment beyond seven days was found to be acceptable, well-tolerated and safe for people in early withdrawal with minimal to mild symptoms. The results suggest that up to 50 percent more patients could receive life-saving treatment if they were offered buprenorphine earlier.
“The opioid crisis is crippling our communities, killing our neighbors, and we see the impacts every day in our hospitals,” said AHS CEO James Jackson“As a health safety net that serves everyone in Alameda areawe have a moral obligation to act. I am proud of the AHS Bridge Clinic’s low-threshold care model, the important research it is helping to develop, and its engagement in broader CA Bridge initiatives to adapt evidence-based treatments to the scale of the crisis.”
AHS offers same-day appointments Monday through Friday at the AHS Bridge Clinic on the Wilma Chan Highland Hospital Campus in Oakland, California. Access to treatment for opioid use disorder, including buprenorphine, is available in the emergency department 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
About Alameda Health System
Alameda Health System (AHS) is a leading public, integrated health care provider and medical school recognized for its superior patient- and family-centered care. AHS provides comprehensive medical treatment, health promotion and disease prevention through our integrated network of hospitals, clinics and health services. AHS includes three acute care hospitals, one psychiatric hospital, four outpatient wellness centers, five post-acute facilities and the only Level 1 adult trauma center and psychiatric emergency department in Alameda area. AHS is committed to promoting wellness and optimizing the health of the community through the mission to care, heal, educate and support all. For more information, visit AlamedaHealthSystem.org.
CONTACT:
Eleonore Ajala
Manager, Media and Communication
Alameda Health System
(510) 421-9222
(email protected)
Source: Alameda Health System
