For people experiencing opioid addiction,\u00a0the first step toward recovery often begins in a moment of crisis. This may follow an overdose or arise during acute withdrawal.<\/p>\n
What comes next can\u00a0determine\u00a0whether someone\u00a0remains\u00a0safe enough to consider treatment.\u00a0A new pilot program at\u00a0MultiCare Deaconess Hospital\u00a0is helping create that critical window of stability.<\/p>\n
Launched in February\u00a02025, the initiative introduces a long\u2011acting form of buprenorphine,\u00a0a medication that reduces opioid cravings and prevents withdrawal.\u00a0Delivered as a single injection, it offers up to five days of symptom relief, giving patients time to stabilize and connect with community-based treatment providers.<\/p>\n
\u201cSince offering long-acting injectable buprenorphine in the Deaconess emergency department, we are seeing patients stabilize sooner, engage in treatment more consistently and cycle through crisis care\u00a0in the emergency department less often,\u201d shares Sara Welty,\u00a0DNP-APH, RN, nurse care manager at Deaconess. \u201cBy offering a long-acting\u00a0option\u00a0that reduces cravings and removes the burden of daily dosing,\u00a0we\u2019re\u00a0not just treating withdrawal in a moment of crisis or desperation \u2014\u00a0we’re\u00a0creating a bridge to\u00a0sustained recovery and a healthier community.\u201d<\/p>\n
Barriers to medication-assisted treatment after hospital discharge<\/strong><\/p>\n For years, hospitals such as Deaconess have used buprenorphine in tablet form. Patients typically take the pill under their tongue daily after being stabilized in the emergency department.<\/p>\n But not everyone is able to keep up with daily dosing.<\/p>\n Many patients face obstacles such as unstable housing, limited transportation or simply the difficulty of maintaining any daily routine while navigating addiction. When someone leaves the hospital without taking their medication, or without the ability to fill a prescription, their risk of returning to drug use increases.<\/p>\n Research and local trends show how high those stakes are. Spokane County has recorded roughly 700 overdose deaths over the past two years, the majority accidental.<\/p>\n Against this backdrop, providers see long-acting injectables as a critical shift in care.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s a clear need for more consistent, low-barrier MOUD (medications for opioid use disorder) in Spokane because too many people fall through the gaps between crisis and care,\u201d shares Welty. \u201cWhen treatment is hard to access, requires strict scheduling or isn\u2019t available at the moment someone is ready, we miss critical opportunities to save lives. Expanding low-barrier options ensures people can stay on medication when they need it most, making recovery more attainable.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false,"gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"html"}]},"excerpt":{"rendered":" For people experiencing opioid addiction,\u00a0the first step toward recovery often begins in a moment of crisis. This may follow an overdose or arise during acute withdrawal. What comes next can\u00a0determine\u00a0whether someone\u00a0remains\u00a0safe enough to consider treatment.\u00a0A new pilot program at\u00a0MultiCare Deaconess Hospital\u00a0is helping create that critical window of stability. Launched in February\u00a02025, the initiative introduces a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false,"gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"html"}]},"author":684,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[39,155,83,79,103],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-39360","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-behavioral-health","category-health-equity","category-news","category-profiles-stories","category-research"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n