ED Treatment of Opioid Addiction: An Opportunity to Lead

Abstract

Opioid use disorder (OUD) is the fastest growing substance use disorder in the United States and the main reason for seeking addiction treatment services for illicit drug use throughout the world. The emergency department (ED) is an important point of care for patients with OUD as these patients are often marginalized from traditional primary care services. EDs often serve their primary healthcare needs as well as offering overdose reversal, attention to injuries related to substance use, and entry points into OUD treatment. Unsurprisingly, ED visits for problems related to opioid use have risen by nearly 100% in the last decade compared to opioid-related inpatient stays which increased by 64%. As a result emergency physicians are thus uniquely positioned to intervene to help patients with OUD at a critical moment in their lives.

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