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MP30: Implementing buprenorphine/naloxone in emergency departments for opioid agonist treatment: a quality improvement initiative

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 May 2019

P. McLane*
Affiliation:
University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB
K. Scott
Affiliation:
University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB
Z. Suleman
Affiliation:
University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB
J. Deol
Affiliation:
University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB
J. Fanaeian
Affiliation:
University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB
A. Olmstead
Affiliation:
University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB
M. Ross
Affiliation:
University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB
H. Hair
Affiliation:
University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB
B. Holroyd
Affiliation:
University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB
E. Lang
Affiliation:
University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB
C. Biggs
Affiliation:
University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB
M. Ghosh
Affiliation:
University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB
R. Tanguay
Affiliation:
University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB
A. Fisher
Affiliation:
University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB
S. Fielding
Affiliation:
University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB

Abstract

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Background: Buprenorphine/naloxone (bup/nal) is a partial opioid agonist/antagonist and recommended first line treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD). Emergency departments (EDs) are a key point of contact with the healthcare system for patients living with OUD. Aim Statement: We implemented a multi-disciplinary quality improvement project to screen patients for OUD, initiate bup/nal for eligible individuals, and provide rapid next business day walk-in referrals to addiction clinics in the community. Measures & Design: From May to September 2018, our team worked with three ED sites and three addiction clinics to pilot the program. Implementation involved alignment with regulatory requirements, physician education, coordination with pharmacy to ensure in-ED medication access, and nurse education. The project is supported by a full-time project manager, data analyst, operations leaders, physician champions, provincial pharmacy, and the Emergency Strategic Clinical Network leadership team. For our pilot, our evaluation objective was to determine the degree to which our initiation and referral pathway was being utilized. We used administrative data to track the number of patients given bup/nal in ED, their demographics and whether they continued to fill bup/nal prescriptions 30 days after their ED visit. Addiction clinics reported both the number of patients referred to them and the number of patients attending their referral. Evaluation/Results: Administrative data shows 568 opioid-related visits to ED pilot sites during the pilot phase. Bup/nal was given to 60 unique patients in the ED during 66 unique visits. There were 32 (53%) male patients and 28 (47%) female patients. Median patient age was 34 (range: 21 to 79). ED visits where bup/nal was given had a median length of stay of 6 hours 57 minutes (IQR: 6 hours 20 minutes) and Canadian Triage Acuity Scores as follows: Level 1 – 1 (2%), Level 2 – 21 (32%), Level 3 – 32 (48%), Level 4 – 11 (17%), Level 5 – 1 (2%). 51 (77%) of these visits led to discharge. 24 (47%) discharged patients given bup/nal in ED continued to fill bup/nal prescriptions 30 days after their index ED visit. EDs also referred 37 patients with OUD to the 3 community clinics, and 16 of those individuals (43%) attended their first follow-up appointment. Discussion/Impact: Our pilot project demonstrates that with dedicated resources and broad institutional support, ED patients with OUD can be appropriately initiated on bup/nal and referred to community care.

Type
Moderated Poster Presentations
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians 2019