Many individuals who live with opioid use disorder (OUD) visit emergency departments (EDs) and urgent care centres (UCCs) because of an overdose, withdrawal symptoms, or other issues related to opioid use.

The Emergency SCN has implemented a province-wide treatment program that involves three steps:

• Screen – appropriately screen patients for OUD during their visit
• Initiate – start eligible patients on the medication buprenorphine/naloxone while they are in the ED/UCC
• Follow-up – provide rapid follow-up at a community clinic for ongoing dosing and care

This project aligns with Strategic Directions #1 and #2 of our ESCN Transformational Roadmap to improve patient & population health outcomes with a focus on the opioid crisis in Alberta.

• Bup-nal Initiation in EDs – A Brief Guide
• Brief Negotiation Interview – Backgrounder
• Brief Negotiation Interview – Tool
• Communicating about Substance Use in Compassionate, Safe and Non-Stigmatizing Ways
• Emergency Department: The 24/7/365-Day Option to Fight the Opioid Crisis (Video)
• PACES EPA - Sim: Opioid Agonist Treatment Buprenorphine Naloxone Initiation in the Emergency Department (CME credit)
  • PACES Training - info about PACES, technical assistance and inquiries
• Suboxone® (Bup-Nal) in EDs -- Myth vs Reality

• Everyone Is Impacted – Grande Prairie Opioid Crisis & Local Resources
• MyHealth.Alberta.ca:
  • Home Dosing Information
  • Instructions For Leaving the Hospital
  • Learning About Opioid Use Disorder
• Opioid Use Disorder and You - available to order through DATA Online
• Suboxone® and You - available to order through DATA Online

• Final Evaluation Report
• Quantitative, Multi-Site Evaluation (Can J Emerg Med, 2020)

• DATA Online Ordering Process & Catalogue