Battling Two Frontiers: Substance Use Epidemic during a Pandemic

Aug 27 2021 7

Battling Two Frontiers: Substance Use Epidemic during a Pandemic Podcast artwork

Dr. Michal Wilson, Medical Advisor, VHA Homeless Programs Office, moderates a series of podcasts featuring various subject matter experts from VHA Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention, Emergency Medicine, Pharmacy Academic Detailing Services and Veteran first responders. The podcast series is focused on advancing awareness, access to naloxone and aftercare to reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with opioid use disorder.

For several years our nation has been in an opioid epidemic with escalating usage, overdoses, and deaths. The COVID-19 pandemic created significant additional challenges in combatting the opioid epidemic necessitating increased awareness and creative approaches to identify, outreach, engage and treat Veterans. Homeless Veterans have a high risk for opioid overdose and resultant death, which require unique and targeted strategies. This series will explore strategies VHA is engaging and challenges faced in the midst of battling two intersecting crises of the pandemic and the substance use epidemic.

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Overdoses and How We Can Save Lives

Jul 30 2021 38 mins

High Risk Population and Action Oriented, VA OEND National Coordinators Insight into VA’s Approach to reaching this important population at a very high-risk time of quarantine. Overdose prevention is more important than ever with challenges in accessing healthcare and disruption daily structure of recovery for many veterans suffering with SUD.

No Wrong Door to Receive Substance Use Disorder Care

Jul 30 2021 34 mins

One might ask what is different about VA’s approach to SUD care and our guest this week will share what we are currently seeing as well as the vision of No Wrong Door built through expanding SUD expertise across the organization and infrastructure through the stepped care model for SUD care.

Catalyzing Practice Change to Save Lives

Jul 30 2021 34 mins

How Knowledge Translation conducted through face to face visits by pharmacist across the system transformed how people felt about naloxone and their role in prescribing is key to why VHA has invested in outreach to clinical staff for important safety initiatives for veterans.

Leveraging Data to Improve Quality of Care

Aug 13 2021 25 mins

Using risk assessment and population health resources to help us in the war against the opioid epidemic has become a standard part of VA practice. We are using population health tools across many disease management areas to alert us to opportunities for outreach both to veterans and healthcare teams to offer care.

Anchors of Hope: Public Health Suicide Prevention in VA

Aug 13 2021 22 mins

In general, Veterans have been shown to have higher rates of suicide than their non-Veteran peers. VA has made suicide prevention, substance use disorder treatment, and drug overdose interventions a priority. In this episode we will hear from Aimee Johnson who leads innovation on Suicide Prevention efforts for Veterans on new strategies VA has made in impacting suicide prevention w

Working Outside Lines: Social Workers, Outreach Education and Creating New Connections

Aug 13 2021 23 mins

Talking about outreach, getting to the patients in the community reaching them outside of their regularly scheduled visit and inviting them into care. What does that look like with partnerships in the VA system.

Making Connections During the Pandemic

Aug 27 2021 27 mins

Whether it is connecting with patients, caregivers, or providers video is the new norm, hear from our 2 guests on how the new normal of video connection has been integrated into the day to day care that means closing the gap for high risk care for veterans.

It is My Job - Substance Use Disorders in the Emergency Department

Aug 27 2021 21 mins

The emergency room is the first line of defense in saving lives to the opioid crisis. Hearing from our 2 guests today on how they are working to change what VA does in the ED to connect veterans into care for treatment with buprenorphine and assuring they have access to life saving treatments life naloxone.

Warriors Fighting the Good Fight: It Takes All of Us to Battle the Addiction Epidemic

Aug 27 2021 29 mins

What are veterans experiencing in this battle against opioid use disorder? Two veterans share their stories of realizing how this has hit their community hard. The battle off the battlefield continues and being there for each other to make a difference is what it's all about.