By Barbra Villona, Health Officer, Thurston County Public Health & Social Services
SOUTH PUGET SOUND – Medications for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD) save lives and are among the most effective tools we have to treat opioid use disorder.
Starting treatment in the hospital can provide a critical bridge to ongoing care, but patients do not have to be ready to commit to sobriety to benefit; a single dose of buprenorphine can make a meaningful difference.
Research shows that initiation of buprenorphine — even if treatment is not sustained — is associated with a reduced risk of overdose and mortality. A 2023 study published in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine showed a 62% reduction in mortality.
Need help getting a patient started?
Let Supporting Clinicians and Community Approaches to Lifestyle and Addiction in the Northwest (SCALA NW) be your “easy button.” They have easy-to-follow clinician protocols for inpatient and Emergency Department buprenorphine initiation and prescribing. If your patient is not yet in withdrawal or they do not want to start in the hospital, offer them a prescription for home initiation. The SCALA NW site has written the discharge instructions for you.
The Washington State Department of Health TeleBUP program offers same-day telehealth evaluation and buprenorphine initiation aiming to provide immediate, short-term support. Callers first speak with a linkage-to-care coordinator who conducts a brief intake. The caller then has a short telehealth visit with a UW Emergency Physician, and a prescription is sent to the caller’s chosen pharmacy. Within 72 hours, staff follow up to help connect the patient to longer-term care. The TeleBUP Hotline is available every day 9 a.m. - 9 p.m. Anyone in Washington age 13 or older can call (206) 289-0287. The service, funded by DOH, is free and does not bill insurance.
Every hospital encounter is a potential teachable moment and a critical opportunity to initiate evidence-based treatment for opioid use disorder. MOUD, particularly buprenorphine, reduce overdose risk, improve treatment engagement, stabilize patients during emergencies, and are associated with lower all-cause mortality. MOUD are the standard of care.
