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A Framework for EMS Outreach for Drug Overdose Survivors: A Case Report of the Houston Emergency Opioid Engagement System.
- Source :
- Prehospital Emergency Care; May-Jun2021, Vol. 25 Issue 3, p441-448, 8p
- Publication Year :
- 2021
-
Abstract
- Fatalities from drug-induced overdoses in the United States have taken greater than 292,000 lives in the last five years, and nearly two-thirds of these are opioid-related. The burden on prehospital emergency medical services (EMS) to respond to these incidents is growing. The standard of care typically involves overdose reversal and rapid transport, although a few agencies have begun to use community paramedicine to more proactively follow-up, initiate treatment, and refer patients to addiction medicine providers. Methods: In this manuscript we share the details of an outreach case study to serve as a blueprint for other agencies and municipalities to adopt and refine. The University of Texas Health Science Center, in partnership with the Houston Fire Department and other local first responder agencies, developed a program in Houston, Texas based on rapid response to post-overdose survivors using available incident data from the primary municipal agencies. Results: The Houston Emergency Opioid Engagement System (HEROES) was created to more comprehensively address the opioid epidemic. By utilizing data extracted from the patient care record system, a team comprised of a peer recovery coach and a paramedic is dispatched to the home location of a recent overdose (OD) incident to provide outreach. Conclusions: Outreach dialog and motivational interviewing techniques are used to provide awareness of treatment options and to engage individuals into a treatment program. A case report of this program and recommendations for broader adoption are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Subjects :
- SUBSTANCE abuse
TREATMENT programs
HEALTH services accessibility
DRUG overdose
SUBSTANCE abuse treatment
HOME care services
MOTIVATIONAL interviewing
COMMUNITY health services
CONCEPTUAL structures
HUMAN services programs
HEALTH literacy
EMERGENCY medical services
HEALTH care teams
DESCRIPTIVE statistics
MEDICAL referrals
INFORMATION resources
OPIOID abuse
HEALTH promotion
DISEASE complications
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 10903127
- Volume :
- 25
- Issue :
- 3
- Database :
- Complementary Index
- Journal :
- Prehospital Emergency Care
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 150165210
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1080/10903127.2020.1755755