Implementation Protocols

An Emergency Medicine Guide to Medication for Opioid Use Disorder

Session originally hosted June 2024. 

There continues to be high morbidity and mortality associated with patients untreated for opioid use disorder (OUD). One highly effective method to curb this epidemic is the establishment of evidence-based care protocols in the emergency department (ED) – specifically, the implementation of medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) with solid outpatient follow up. Still, OUD protocols remain limited in many EDs due a variety of barriers, like provider and patient stigma. 

In this training, we focus on the key components of ED MOUD implementation to be incorporated into individual EDs. Strategies from expert emergency medicine physicians, who are familiar with addiction medicine and this process, will be shared. By the end of this training, you will be equipped to construct effective, evidence-based OUD treatment protocols for your ED.  

At the conclusion of this training, learners should be able to: 

• Summarize the key components of implementing medication for opioid use disorder in the emergency department. 
• Call out potential barriers to implementing medication for opioid use disorder in the emergency department. 
• Brainstorm how to avoid potential pitfalls to program implementation.  

Note: Continuing medical education (CME) credits are being pursued by the MHA Keystone Center, and we anticipate that these opportunities will count toward the DEA eight-hour training requirement on the treatment and management of patients with opioid or other substance use disorders.