FEATURE
Two Florida Health Systems Receive SAMHSA Grants to Implement ED Alternatives to Opioids Program By Natalie Spindle, MS, CHES®
Health Educator, UF College of Medicine – Jacksonville
FAAP, FACEP
FACEP
Assistant Professor, UF College of Medicine – Jacksonville
The number of U.S. deaths and overdoses from opioids continues as a top public health concern, even after the opioid epidemic was declared a public health emergency in 2017. Legislation limiting opioid prescribing has driven a shift from prescription to illicit use, with increases in synthetic opioid use. This troubling problem has been a key issue for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and its agencies like the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). National and state data indicate an alarming increase in opioid and other substance abuse overdoses and deaths since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic is now being referred to as a national relapse trigger.
18
By Phyllis Hendry, MD,
By Sophia Sheikh, MD,
Professor & Associate Chair for Research, UF College of Medicine – Jacksonville
During the height of this pandemic, UF Health Jacksonville and Broward Health emergency departments were selected to receive $2.96 million in funding for the new SAMHSA Emergency Department Alternatives to Opioids Demonstration Program. The purpose of this funding is to develop and implement alternatives to opioids for pain management in emergency settings. Only 10 grants were awarded across the U.S. in the first grant cycle.
UF HEALTH JACKSONVILLE PAMI ED-ALT PROGRAM The Pain Assessment and Management Initiative (PAMI) at the University of Florida College of Medicine – Jacksonville is creating a new patient- and provider-focused pain EMpulse Spring 2021
By Michelle Krichbaum, PharmD
Pain Management Clinical Coordinator, Broward Health Medical Center
management model. The PAMI EDALT project team is a collaboration between emergency medicine, nursing, rehabilitative services, pharmacy and pain management specialities targeting pain conditions such as musculoskeletal and back pain, renal colic, and headaches in adolescents and adults. The PAMI ED-ALT program includes the implementation of new, comprehensive EMR order panels offering all pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic pain management options in one place and new discharge planning educational materials. New order panels improve providers’ access to a menu of pain management options. Additional key program components include development of a pain coaching
