Chris Smith: 'Passing the MAT Act, increasing access to buprenorphine, and facilitating a meaningful discussion of opioid use between patients and healthcare providers would be a great kindness – one that anyone deserves.'
In this Nov. 14, 2019, photo, Jon Combes holds his bottle of buprenorphine, a medicine that prevents withdrawal sickness in people trying to stop using opiates, as he prepares to take a dose in a clinic in Olympia, Wash.As a mental and behavioral health care provider, I frequently face the realities of providing care for those with opioid use disorder . Buprenorphine, a medication used to effectively treat this disorder, is often difficult for patients to access, delaying treatment.
As a waivered provider, I find it more useful to view buprenorphine as simply a medication for a specific condition, like any other. People with OUD deserve the same compassionate treatment as those with other complex conditions that involve behavior, physical symptoms, and environmental factors. Providing care over the past six years at the Fourth Street Clinic in Salt Lake City, which focuses on health care for individuals experiencing homelessness, has taught me that time is of the utmost importance in treating OUD. Anytime someone uses opioids, there is risk for overdose death.
At Fourth Street Clinic, we strive for a “no wrong door” approach to meeting patient needs and helping them find the treatment that works best. Some individuals access traditional support resources throughout their lives, while others find recovery by reconnecting to work, important relationships and meaningful activities that take up the bulk of their time. Some may simply find a path to a less harmful place than they were before – progress, nonetheless.
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