Saturday, December 21, 2024
12/21/2024
With a SAMHSA ED-ALT award, Baystate Medical Center (BMC) in Springfield, Massachusetts will create and launch an Emergency Department based Complex Addiction and Pain Service (CAPS) Team. The CAPS team will be a multidisciplinary team of medical professionals with the goal of improving care in pain management and OUD in the BMC ED and addressing continuity of care and follow up disparities that impact residents of Hampden County, which has second highest opioid dispensing rate and the highest rate of drug overdose deaths in Massachusetts. In the three years of the ED-ALT grant project, the CAPS team will serve more than 3,000 residents, with a focus on the Hispanic community who has suffered the greatest impact of the opioid epidemic and the highest rates of drug overdose deaths. The CAPS team will consist of a full-time nurse practitioner with experience in pain management and addiction, a full time bilingual (Spanish/English) substance use disorder recovery coach, and a part time physician supervisor with experience in both emergency and addiction medicine. Supporting the team will be a part time pain management physician, an emergency department clinical pharmacist, hospital-based IT consultant, and biostatistician. The primary role of the CAPS team will be to provide direct care to ED patients with complex painful conditions, those on chronic opioid medications for pain, and for patients with OUD. The CAPS team will also educate ED staff on pain management opioid alternatives, treatment of OUD and culturally competent harm reduction strategies, as well as work with IT consultants to create electronic health record (EHR) structure and programs to promote evidence based, consistent care.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).