Filling the substance use treatment gap requires better education and research training
While education is unlikely the ultimate filling for the substance use treatment gap, it is one that can be hardly overlooked and underestimated.
Many medical programs likely do little in the way of introducing students to the scientific evidence underlying addictions treatment, and emerging physicians have difficulty implementing best evidence.
This is a serious concern in light of the urgent need for improved addictions care, and highlights even further the necessity of expanding interdisciplinary education in evidence-based addictions treatment.
How can people with opioid use disorder get better virtual care?
Virtual care is the new normal around the globe. The emergence of COVID-19 introduced a dual public health emergency in British Columbia. The province was already in the fourth year of its opioid-related overdose crisis. The public health response to COVID-19 must explicitly consider different communities experiencing marginalization including persons with opioid use disorder.
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Why equity hinders effective pain relief for opioid naive people
Equitable access to care is problematic; some people get it, most are left out.
The REDONNA study (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cct.2021.106462) began from the motivation for equitable opioid prescribing in primary care. It aimed to provide prescribing non-judgmental feedback to physicians using audit & feedback letters developed by the @Drug_Evidence and @DrRitaMc @malcolmlaclure
They received information about the number of new opioid initiations & how they compared to the average physician. They were provided information on the (lack) of effectiveness on pain for opioid naïve patients through educational webinars: https://doi.org/10.1093/fampra/cmac044
From this study, we hope to support the uptake of quality prescribing practices that are equity-oriented and evidence-based to help patients manage pain.
Equitable care saves lives
This includes equitable prescribing for individuals who use opioids in addition to medical education that goes beyond and amplifies the message of international @OverdoseDay #IOAD2022 #endoverdose
Special thanks to @ShawnaNarayan for coordinating REDONNA and crafting educational messages.
Finding 1239 primary care clinics using license registry algorithm
Some Canadians have limited access to longitudinal primary care, despite its known advantages for population health. Current initiatives to transform primary care aim to increase access to primary care clinics. (more…)
Mentoring helps physicians publish more peer-reviewed papers, study says
Physician scientists help advance the science of addiction medicine, yet prior studies have not looked at better ways of increasing publication productivity of early-career physicians working in this field.