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June 30, 2021 (Cleveland, OH )

Opioid Consortium Updates: Harm Reduction Supplies Distribution, Opioid Management Toolkit & More

The Northeast Ohio Hospital Opioid Consortium advanced objectives related to harm reduction and education this spring through several initiatives, including the distribution of supplies donated by Buckeye Health Plan, the launch of the Opioid Management Toolkit and more.  

Harm Reduction Supplies Distribution
The Northeast Ohio Hospital Opioid Consortium recently coordinated the distribution of harm reduction supplies to several of its Opioid Consortium hospitals, thanks to the generosity of Buckeye Health Plan. 

Buckeye Health donated 2,000 fentanyl test strips to The MetroHealth System, 300 fentanyl test strips to Cleveland Clinic and 500 safe drug disposal bags each to University Hospitals and St. Vincent Charity Medical Center. The items were delivered to the hospitals in March and April respectively and donations were allocated based on need.

The Opioid Management Toolkit & Academic Detailing
In April, The Center for Health Affairs announced the launch of the Opioid Management Toolkit, a set of provider-focused instructional resources created in collaboration with The MetroHealth System’s Office of Opioid Safety and the Cuyahoga County Board of Health. The toolkit aims to educate and assist providers with improving clinical practices around opioid prescribing.

The toolkit features multiple content areas to assist providers in their efforts to prevent misuse and possible overdose from prescription opioids, including a peer review model, resources on academic detailing and its implementation, as well as opioid prescribing mitigation resources, which serve as a one-stop-shop for opioid safe prescribing materials. The opioid mitigation resources were gathered from trusted local, state and national organizations and government agencies to assist providers in their daily work and provide opioid safe prescribing materials for use in the fight against the opioid epidemic. 

As providers strive to deliver the best outcomes for their patients, one key piece of content within the toolkit is the aforementioned academic detailing section. Academic detailing is a one-on-one outreach education technique borrowed from the pharmaceutical industry, where pharmaceutical representatives often meet with physicians to offer information about a medication their company manufactures. In short, academic detailers help providers achieve desired outcomes with evidence-based guidance. This technique can be especially useful in reducing overprescribing, discussing the misuse of opioids and substances, and exploring pain management options.

The Opioid Management Toolkit was created as part of an effort supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Overdose Data to Action grant.

For more information on the Northeast Ohio Hospital Opioid Consortium and its initiatives, contact us.