Opioid abuse patients have better results with ER visit

NEW HAVEN >> Patients who go to a hospital’s emergency department seeking treatment for opioid addiction, a common destination for addicts, are likely to stay off the drug for a longer time when given medication while still at the hospital, according to a Yale School of Medicine study.

The benefits of starting treatment in the emergency department last for two months, a better outcome than counseling or referrals to treatment, the researchers reported. While it was known that patients who receive treatment when they go to the

emergency department are more likely to continue treatment, this study determined how long the benefits would last, according to a press release.

“The ED visit is an ideal opportunity to identify patients with opioid use disorder and initiate treatment and direct referral, similar to best practices for other diseases, such as high blood pressure and diabetes,” said Dr. Gail D’Onofrio, chairwoman of the Department of Emergency Medicine at the medical school, in the release.

The study of 290 patients was a follow-up to a randomized trial, in which patients were cared for in one of three ways: a referral to addiction treatment; a brief interview that included discussing treatment; or a brief interview while given buprenorphine, the release said.

The members of the third group continued to receive the anti-opioid medication through primary care. Patients were tracked after two, six and 12 months.

The study confirmed that patients are more likely to remain free of opioid abuse if treatment begins before they leave the hospital, the release said.

D’Onofrio and Dr. David Fiellin led the study, which was published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine.