2020 SAEMF/NIDA Mentor-Facilitated Training Award - $12,000

“Mentored Training to Combat the Opioid Crisis: Emergency Medicine Meets Addiction Medicine”

As the scourge of the opioid epidemic spreads death, disease and disability, the US health system is scrambling to deal with this crisis. There are several health systems that have begun pioneering work in combating this health crisis, but the spread of these lifesaving protocols have been slow. This project seeks to speed the adoption of these practices within the Emergency Departments of a newly merged large southern health system, Prisma Health. This system contains 11 Emergency Departments (ED) and treats more than 1.2 million patients a year.

Under the mentorship of Dr. Ali Raja, a pioneer in ED-based medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) protocols, and Dr. Alain Litwin, a pioneer in combined treatment of addiction and infectious disease, this application seeks to facilitate the rapid integration and dissemination of best practices and create a large new epicenter for treatment and future studies. I feel that my passion and previous experience will serve this project well. I have been successful in recent years in establishing ED-based screening programs for HIV and HCV.

I currently have funding from 2 sources (total ~500K) and ongoing collaborations with several EDs and health departments concerning this screening. In addition, I have recently become involved in MedEd, including simulation and communication skills and have presented results at various national meetings (ACEP, SAEM, IMSH). These separate venues allow me access for dissemination across a broad national front that is in addition to the immediate dissemination within my current employer health system.

The overall project plan calls for focused education and training for me as the applicant to become board eligible for Addiction Medicine under the “Practice Pathway” of the ABPM, while simultaneously setting goals for the spread of training and implementation of best practices for SUD/OUD within the Prisma Health system.