KEY TAKEAWAYS: LCMC Health has distributed more than 1,000 free naloxone rescue kits since April. All LCMC Health emergency departments now offer free kits to patients at increased risk of opioid overdose. The health system is expanding its Substance Use Navigator program to connect patients w ith treatment and community resources. University Medical Center and LSU Health were selected for a national American Hospital Association opioid care collaborative. LCMC Health is expanding its substance use disorder treatment and overdose prevention efforts across Greater New Orleans, including providing free naloxone rescue kits in its emergency departments and adding specialized staff to connect patients with follow-up care. The New Orleans-based nonprofit health system said the initiatives are part of a broader effort to improve treatment for patients with substance use disorder and reduce preventable overdoses. The announcement comes ahead of International Overdose Awareness Day on Aug. 31. Since April, LCMC Health has distributed more than 1,000 naloxone rescue kits across its network, according to the health system. All LCMC Health emergency departments now provide the kits at no cost to patients considered at increased risk of an opioid overdose. The kits include two doses of naloxone, commonly sold under the brand name Narcan, along with instructions in English, Spanish and Vietnamese and information about recovery resources. Nursing staff also provide patients with information about recognizing an overdose and administering the medication. “Every interaction with a patient is an opportunity to make a meaningful difference,” said Dr. Jennifer Meyer, corporate vice president of medical affairs and associate chief medical officer of LCMC Health. “When someone comes to us for care and their first step toward recovery, we want them to know they will be met with compassion, dignity and hope. By making naloxone available, connecting people to continued support and ensuring our teams lead with empathy, we have the opportunity not only to save a life, but to help someone see a path forward.” LCMC Health is also providing specialized training to emergency department employees across the system, with an emphasis on treating substance use disorder as a medical condition and reducing stigma surrounding patients seeking treatment. The health system is expanding its Substance Use Navigator program, which places navigators in emergency departments and inpatient units to connect patients with treatment and community resources after they leave the hospital. The program is led by Brittney McIver, a licensed professional counselor with more than a decade of behavioral health experience. Some navigators have personal experience with recovery, according to LCMC Health. “These navigators, many of whom bring lived experience in recovery and a passion for supporting individuals struggling with substance use disorders, provide judgment-free support during patients’ most vulnerable moments,” McIver said. “LCMC Health aims to lead the state in adopting this emerging national best practice, bringing rare peer-navigation resources directly to Louisiana emergency rooms.” LCMC Health is also participating in a national initiative focused on opioid care through University Medical Center New Orleans. The LSU Health Integrated Health Clinic at University Medical Center was selected as one of six teams nationwide to participate in an American Hospital Association opioid care learning collaborative. Five UMC and LSU Health physicians received a grant tied to the program for their approach to combining addiction treatment and primary care. The health system said the Integrated Health Clinic is Louisiana’s only academic primary care center focused on patients with substance use disorder. The clinic combines medication-based treatment for substance use disorder with primary care, psychological and psychiatric services. Dr. Rhea E. Kyles, a family nurse practitioner with the clinic, will also participate in a regional overdose prevention event Aug. 31 at the Jefferson Parish East Bank Regional Library. The free event, “A Celebration of Resilience: Surviving, Thriving, and De-Stigmatizing,” will bring together healthcare professionals, survivors and advocacy groups. Kyles will participate in a panel focused on addiction treatment and overdose prevention. LCMC Health said the initiatives are also part of its work toward Louisiana Bridge Certification and include expanding evidence-based treatment, harm reduction strategies and connections to treatment and recovery services after patients are discharged. Founded in 2009, LCMC Health operates eight hospitals in the region, including University Medical Center New Orleans, Touro, East Jefferson General Hospital, West Jefferson Medical Center and New Orleans East Hospital. ...read more read less