How emergency departments are responding to the opioid crisis: Results from a statewide survey in Kentucky.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

There is a rising effort for hospital emergency departments (EDs) to offer and expand substance use disorder (SUD) services. This state-wide evaluation studies SUD services offered along the continuum of implementation across Kentucky's EDs to inform future state efforts to build ED bridge programs.

Methods

We conducted a mixed-methods study using an online survey of all Kentucky Emergency Department Directors between January and May of 2023. We created a hospital-level dataset which we used to summarize quantitative questions and thematically analyze open-ended responses.

Results

Our sample included 85 unique respondents (89% of all eligible Kentucky hospitals). Nine (11%) had active bridge programs to initiate opioid use disorder patients on buprenorphine.

SUBMITTER: Sugarman OK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11545227 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature