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Dr. Sullivan Speaks on Capitol Hill about Treating Addiction Patients in Emergency Department

http://upstateonline.info/static/June28-July52018/blog/story-2/index.html

Ross Sullivan, MD, assistant professor of emergency medicine and director of medical toxicology at Upstate Medical University, will head to Capitol Hill June 28 to speak before federal lawmakers and others on issues related to treating addiction patients in the emergency room setting and the use of buprenorphine, among others.

Sullivan has been at the forefront in Syracuse on the issue of how emergency departments deal with people addicted to drugs, like opioids and heroin. Instead of sending patients back on the streets hoping they will get into a rehab program, Sullivan started a clinic at Upstate that provides drug addicts with a supply of the drug buprenorphine before they leave the hospital to ease withdrawal symptoms.

Sullivan will be one of five panelists taking part in a presentation on Modernizing Opioid Addiction Treatment Protocol: Emergency Departments as Point of Care, to be held from noon to 1 p.m. in the Rayburn House Office Building, in Washington, D.C. Other panelists include representatives from the Narcotics Overdose Prevention and Education (NOPE) Task Force, Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs and University of Kentucky HealthCare.

Sullivan will discuss his work at the event that will likely be attended by sponsors and supporters of the POWER Act, which stands for Preventing Overdoses While in Emergency Rooms. The measure has already passed the House of Representatives and is under review in the Senate.

The POWER Act will provide emergency departments with the resources and tools needed to develop evidence-based protocols for screening overdose patients for substance use disorders, initiating treatment with FDA-approved medications in the hospital, and providing rapid referrals to evidence-based treatment before a patient is discharged. POWER would also help hospitals develop and implement best practices for care coordination and integrated care models for long-term treatment and recovery service.

“We need to do a better job at giving those who seek care in our emergency departments for overdose and withdrawal at making connections with community resources where these individuals can get long-term treatment for their addiction,” Sullivan said. “If we don’t, we find these individuals right back in our emergency departments. We need to offer them peer support and address the reasons behind their addiction by examining the social determinants of health.”

Sullivan’s clinic at Upstate addresses some of the need for better coordination with the community agencies, but he’s hoping legislation could develop best practices in this area across the country.
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