Target Audience: This activity is designed for Administrative Staff, Counselors, Interprofessional Teams, Nurses, Pharmacists, Pharmacy Technicians, PAs, Physicians, Psychiatrists, Psychologists, Social Workers, Students and Educators and Family and Patients. This activity is not accredited.
Webinar Description: Over 2.5 million adults in the U.S. are diagnosed with OUD. In 2022, 12.7% of ED visits involved opioids. Yet only 25% of those who need treatment receive recommended MOUD. MOUDs are highly effective treatments that have been shown to decrease opioid use, cravings and transmission of infectious disease, and to increase retention in treatment. As the opioid epidemic continues to impact people across the U.S., the ED represents a critical access point to the health care system, supporting people with OUD by initiating MOUD, such as buprenorphine, and connecting them to low-threshold, easy-to-access care for continued treatment.
The California Bridge Program and the Bridge Center (Bridge) at the Public Health Institute (PHI) are excellent models for engaging both urban and rural EDs across the country to initiate MOUD. California Bridge has helped California implement the largest and fastest expansion of ED-initiated MOUD. To better serve patients, Bridge helps providers and community partners to create a integrated systems of care that unites emergency care and community health. PHI works to improve access to health clinics for low-income rural patients by advancing rural health infrastructure, developing new technologies and implementing best practices in rural health policy and programming. Together, these programs are helping health care organizations connect people with OUD to low-threshold care and MOUD in both urban and rural areas, by initiating MOUD in EDs and other low-barrier settings to increase treatment retention.
Educational Objectives:
- Discuss the current landscape of Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) treatment, including Medications for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD), and the need for accessible, low-barrier care and treatment.
- Describe the benefits of initiating MOUD within Emergency Department (ED) settings and the impact on treatment retention.
- Explore examples of successfully implemented ED-based MOUD initiation programs.
Requirements for Successful Activity Completion:
In order to successfully complete this activity and obtain your Certificate, please follow the steps below:
Course Content
- Complete the (1) pre-reflection question and view the recorded presentation (30-60 minutes).
Evaluation
- Click Evaluation to complete the final PCSS-MOUD course evaluation.
Claim your Certificate
- Select and claim your preferred certificate type on the next page. Once claimed, a download button will appear in your Certificate Tab. If you do not see the download button or cannot access your certificate, return to the course evaluation, and claim your preferred credit/certificate.
Post Survey
- 90 days following your completion of this activity, you will receive a survey (2 questions) to ask about changes in your practice.
