Facing rising overdoses, VCU Health strengthens bridge between urgent ER care and long-term addiction services
Emergency departments across the United States experienced a surge in opioid overdose cases during the pandemic. Now, a program at VCU Health aims to help those patients receive the treatment they need after they leave the emergency department.
The new VCU Health Virtual Bridge Clinic creates a direct link between the emergency department and treatment programs for patients with opioid use disorder. Providers use tools such as telehealth services, which were strengthened during the pandemic, to create an immediate support network for people in withdrawal or experiencing an overdose.
Funded by a federal grant administered by the Virginia Department of Medical Assistance Services, program leaders hope to create a unique and successful model for intervention — at a time when the need couldn’t be greater.
“This project is about translating what we know from years of addiction research and clinical experience into better patient care,” said F. Gerard Moeller, M.D., principal investigator for the Virtual Bridge Clinic and director of the VCU Institute for Drug and Alcohol Studies. “The goal is to develop and test a new standard of care.”
Read more at VCU Health.
Photo at top: from left to right, Dr. F. Gerard Moeller, Katy Wells, Theresa “Tracy” Davis and Dr. Brandon Wills are part of the Virtual Bridge Clinic team that’s helping patients experiencing opioid use disorder move from the emergency department into treatment.
Categories Clinical Research, Collaboration, Community Engagement, Funding, Health Equity, Research, Staff