WA health officials turn to emergency rooms in fight against opioid epidemic

Washington health officials on Monday announced a new program to help emergency room clinicians prescribe medications to treat opioid addiction.

ScalaNW, a state Health Care Authority program, will offer 24/7 live clinical support to hospitals and emergency rooms looking to provide patients with medications for opioid-use disorder.

The authority is hoping ScalaNW will help physicians feel more comfortable prescribing medications like buprenorphine and methadone, which have been found to significantly cut death rates for patients with opioid addiction.

Most people in Washington at high risk for overdose death have been to an ER within the past 12 months, noted Liz Wolkin, program manager at the Health Care Authority. “So we know that patients who could benefit are there,” Wolkin said.

https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2024/06/03/wa-health-officials-turn-to-emergency-rooms-in-fight-against-opioid-use-disorder-epidemic/