Bluewater Health is improving care for patients with alcohol or opioid use disorders.
An official launch for the Mentoring, Education and Clinical Tools for Addiction: Primary Care-Hospital Integration (META:PHI) program took place at the hospital's atrium on Wednesday.
Program Site Lead Doctor Del Donald says it collaborates efforts of addiction specialists, the emergency department, hospital staff and primary care providers.
"Take existing resources and realign them, no more money has to come in the system. The patient will get much better service," says Donald, noting the next step is getting family doctors on board. "This community has been crying out for withdrawal management for a long time. I think what META:PHI is going to do, is really answer that need."
As part of the project, naloxone kits are administered free-of-charge to patients to help reverse the effects of opioids during an overdose. One kit has been distributed over the past month.
Business Director, Mental Health & Addiction Services Cathy McFarland says the service addresses and responds to symptoms in the emergency department and refers patients to addictions services.
"The goal is really, not to have a sense of project one time, but to use this as a launch pad to grow services that are meaningful for people with addictions," says McFarland.
The hospital is one of seven across the province participating in the project.
