Medical College of Wisconsin
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Impact of an Education Module on the Knowledge and Attitudes of EM Physicians Towards Prescribing Buprenorphine/Naloxone for Opioid Use Disorder. J Opioid Manag 2024;20(4):B13

Date

09/25/2024

Pubmed ID

39321067

DOI

10.5055/bupe.24.rpj.1095

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-85204941686 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Opioid overdose continues to be a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Buprenorphine is an important treatment for patients with opioid-use disorder (OUD) and initiation in the emergency department (ED) has been shown to improve outcomes for these patients.

PURPOSE/HYPOTHESIS: Our objective was to assess the impact of a three-pronged education package on the knowledge and attitudes of emergency physicians towards using buprenorphine for treatment of OUD. Procedures/data/observations: We developed a three-pronged educational package including back- ground rationale for OUD treatment with buprenorphine, an evidence-based ED buprenorphine induction pathway and electronic medical record tools. This package was deployed to providers in an urban academic ED. A voluntary confidential pre-post survey was administered. Using a 6-point Likert Scale, participants were asked about their understanding, experience, and confidence with prescribing.

CONCLUSIONS/APPLICATIONS: A one-hour, three-pronged educational package changed the attitudes of emergency physicians towards buprenorphine treatment and demonstrated an increase in willingness and confidence to prescribe it for patients with OUD. Our findings suggest that healthcare entities that wish to boost buprenorphine prescribing can impact willingness and confidence to prescribe with a short education package.

Author List

Zosel A, Hernandez-Meier J, Owen J

Authors

Jennifer Lynn Hernandez-Meier PhD Assistant Professor in the Emergency Medicine department at Medical College of Wisconsin
Amy Elizabeth Zosel MD Professor in the Emergency Medicine department at Medical College of Wisconsin




MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Adult
Analgesics, Opioid
Attitude of Health Personnel
Buprenorphine
Buprenorphine, Naloxone Drug Combination
Drug Prescriptions
Emergency Service, Hospital
Female
Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
Humans
Male
Naloxone
Narcotic Antagonists
Opiate Substitution Treatment
Opioid-Related Disorders
Physicians
Practice Patterns, Physicians'