MANCHESTER, N.H. (AP) — Two New Hampshire hospitals are participating in a project to start medication-assisted treatment for patients with substance use disorder in the emergency department instead of simply referring them to outside resources.
The study, called ED Connect, is being conducted in three sites in the Northeast: Catholic Medical Center in Manchester, Valley Regional Hospital in Claremont and Bellevue Hospital in New York City.
Dr. William Goodman, chief medical officer at CMC, says the approach makes sense given that many patients with substance use disorder use the emergency department as their primary source of health care. He says those emergency room visits provide a narrow and important window for providing help.
The study focuses on whether busy emergency rooms can successfully screen patients, begin treatment and refer them to ongoing support.
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