Practical Tools for Treating Opioid Use Disorder
New resources launched recently from the Health Care Authority (HCA) to help Washington’s health care providers and first responders learn about the life-saving power of medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD). MOUD like buprenorphine and methadone are an underused tool in the fight against the opioid epidemic; they lower risk of death by 50%, but are prescribed to less than 10% of patients.
It’s time for clinicians to get comfortable with these medications and use their prescribing power to make MOUD the standard of care for patients with opioid use disorder (OUD). The new suite of resources can help every clinician in Washington learn about and discuss MOUD with patients who could benefit.
HCA and the Department of Health have partnered to build and promote these new guides, videos, and quick tips for health care providers and first responders. Get the facts about MOUD and start talking about it with patients who could benefit, using a shared decision-making approach that puts the patient at the center of their treatment. From deep dives to quick tips to stories from real Washington doctors and first responders, this is the new hub for the medical community to learn and leverage MOUD to improve patient outcomes. Here’s a sampling of what’s inside:
- Educational Video: 5 common myths about buprenorphine, plus the facts
- Shared Decision-Making Guide: How to use shared decision-making when discussing MOUD with a patient
- Conversation Guide: Helpful phrases and conversation starters for providers to use with patients when discussing MOUD
- Video: Powerful testimonials from providers and first responders sharing their MOUD journey, from EMS to OB/GYN and from Seattle to Spokane.
