TriHealth and BrightView to Partner to Assist Patients with Opioid Use Disorders
August 7, 2018
TriHealth announced they are partnering with BrightView, a local outpatient addiction medicine practice to help assist TriHealth providers with questions regarding treatment for and care of patients with opioid use disorders. The announcement was made by Judith Mitchell, TriHealth’s Director of Behavioral Health and co-facilitator of the TriHealth Opioid Steering Committee; Dallas Auvil, M.D., System Chief of Behavioral Health at TriHealth and Shawn A Ryan, M.D., President and Chief Medical Officer for BrightView.
“TriHealth clinicians, staff and senior leadership are extremely passionate about providing the very best treatment for patients with opioid use disorder,” said Dr. Auvil. “From the initial funding of the project by the Good Samaritan Foundation and bi3, the grant making initiative of Bethesda Inc., to the extensive development phase and ultimate delivery of care, everyone involved has brought their very best to serve our community during this deadly epidemic. We want to make a difference, and we are.”
The partnership will complement TriHealth’s Good Samaritan and Blue Ash Alcohol and Drug Programs and provide the ability to provide a seamless continuum of care. TriHealth is committed to improve inpatient management with handoffs to appropriate community outpatient treatment programs. In addition, TriHealth will develop a care coordination protocol for outpatient treatment referral to vetted clinical partners.
BrightView is an outpatient addiction medicine practice based on clinical best practices and outcomes measures. Through the use of medical treatment in conjunction with psychological and social services, BrightView delivers the necessary support to help patients meet both their mental and physical goals.
“The partnership between BrightView and TriHealth is exceptional,” said Dr. Ryan. “Together we are collaboratively addressing the opioid epidemic in Greater Cincinnati through multiple endeavors including inpatient management, linkage to evidence-based outpatient treatment, Narcan distribution, and many other efforts. BrightView is pleased to continue working with TriHealth on this critical issue in our community.”
Among the opioid issues nurses experience are patients with addictions repeatedly admitted to the emergency rooms, gaps in care for patients with addictions, and the compounding difficulties due to comorbid health problems such as abscesses and significant infections.
“As healthcare professionals, we are compelled to act, we are in the middle of a national epidemic and we know healthcare professionals are on the front line,” said Mitchell. “Caring for these patients with substance use disorders present particular challenges for our team members, indicating the need for more training, support and partnerships. At TriHealth, we’ve had many success stories with opioid-addicted patients. We know that nurses, social workers and physicians have been making efforts to support and help patients in this epidemic.”