The District of Columbia Hospital Association (DCHA) has been awarded a grant to establish and implement an Emergency Department (ED) Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) Induction program at MedStar Washington Hospital Center, Howard University Hospital and United Medial Center to identify and provide access to immediate substance use treatment for individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD). In 2017, DC experienced 279 deaths related to opioid overdose.

This induction program will ensure that persons with OUD have the opportunity to make the decision to accept treatment during their visit to the emergency room. Following the initial treatment received at the hospital, patients will be rapidly connected through a warm hand-off to community-based provider(s) for sustained treatment. The program will train all hospital ED staff in the screening, brief intervention, referral to treatment (SBIRT) approach and connect patients to peer recovery coaches while still at the hospital to provide support as they begin their treatment and recovery journey. Peer recovery coaches will also follow-up with patients after they leave the ED to verify if they were successfully connected to recovery support services.

“DCHA and our members are proud to be part of the solution to help individuals get the treatment they need at the right time and the right place. Evidence has shown that initiating early interventions, such as MAT to treat OUD, at the first point of care saves more lives. We are excited to work in collaboration with our member hospitals and the DC government to launch this most important program as a critical step in battling this terrible epidemic,” said Jacqueline D. Bowens, President and CEO of DCHA.

DCHA will partner with the Mosaic Group, which has more than six years of experience working with hospitals on this approach, and the McClendon Center, which has expertise in recruiting and screening applicants for peer recovery coaching positions, to successfully implement the ED MAT Induction program. Hospitals are currently in the planning stages, including setting timelines and engaging key stakeholders. Beginning this month, hospitals will be reviewing and adjusting clinical processes and workforce needs to prepare for safe MAT implementation.

“We are committed to improving the health of our community and turning the tide on the District’s burgeoning opioid epidemic,” said Jeffrey Dubin, MD, chief medical officer at MedStar Washington Hospital Center. “With the DCHA grant funding, these peer recovery coaches, based in our emergency department, will be instrumental in connecting patients with serious opioid issues to treatment and recovery.”

The ED MAT Induction program will be established through $668K of funding from the State Targeted Response grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). It will continue to be supported through $700k of funding from SAMHSA’s State Opioid Response grant provided to the DC Department of Behavioral Health.

“Partnering with DCHA on this effort strengthens our ability to reach residents with OUD to give them another opportunity to get connected to treatment,” said Dr. LaQuandra Nesbitt, Interim Director of the DC Department of Behavioral Health. “This is another example of our commitment to putting multiple measures in place to stem the tide of the opioid epidemic and save the lives of Washingtonians.”

DCHA Quality Showcase-Specialty Hospital Edition

D.C. hospitals adopted a resolution of commitment to foster a culture of quality and patient safety that drives positive health outcomes for patients, staff and the community. We at DCHA are proud to be involved in facilitating collaborative actions and convening community stakeholders to drive improvement across the District of Columbia and the region.

We celebrate the work of our members, in this edition specifically showcasing D.C. specialty hospitals in improving patient safety and health care quality through innovative practices that disrupt the status quo. The works and successes presented in this publication represent the dedication of D.C. health care leaders to continuously strive toward better care, better experiences, and better outcomes for those we serve.

This issue, devoted to D.C. specialty hospitals, features stories from:

• BridgePoint Hospital Capitol Hill: Improving Quality of Life…One Goal at a Time!
• MedStar National Rehabilitation Hospital: Collaboration Program Strengthens Patient Medication Literacy at Discharge
• St. Elizabeths Hospital: Making a Difference with Positive Behavior Support
• MedStar National Rehabilitation Hospital: Tackling the Issue of Pain Management
• St. Elizabeths Hospital: Creative Arts Therapies: Bridging Consumer and Community
• Psychiatric Institute of Washington: Partnerships in Care Coordination: Addressing Readmissions and the Opioid Epidemic
• MedStar National Rehabilitation Hospital: Adaptive Yoga: Tool for Recovery in Rehabilitation
• St. Elizabeths Hospital: Teaching Our Next Generation of Clinicians to Be Culturally Competent
• Trusted Health Plan: Integrated Care With a Person-Centered Touch: Wellness Within Reach

DCHA was happy to host and be part of a thoughtful group of health care advocates serving on the Mayor’s Commission on Healthcare Systems Transformations. The first meeting on June 25 was a productive discussion of member priorities and concerns, along with approval of the bylaws. The Commission will consist of six subcommittees:

1. Equitable Geographic Distribution of Acute, Urgent and Specialty Care
2. Access to Critical Care and Urgent Care Services
3. Emergency Room Overcrowding & General Reliance on Inpatient Hospital Care
4. Allied Health Care Professionals
5. Discharge Planning & Transitions to Care
6. Value-Based Purchasing of Health Care Services

The Commission was established on June 3 to make recommendations to the Mayor on the strategies and investments necessary to transform health care delivery in the District of Columbia. The Commission’s work shall focus on developing recommendations that address the current stresses in the District’s health care system, while specifically targeting the following issues: improving access to primary, acute, and specialty care services, including behavioral health care; addressing health system capacity issues for inpatient, outpatient, pre-hospital and emergency room services; and promoting an equitable geographic distribution of acute care and specialty services in communities east of the Anacostia river.

Meeting minutes from June 25, 2019

The District of Columbia Hospital Association released a position paper outlining its vision for a health care system on the city’s East End. The document outlines our views and highlights the aspects we believe are critical to making health services for residents of Wards 7 & 8 sustainable. We have been very clear that a new acute care facility is not the cure all for the health system on the East End. The solution must encompass a hub model where specialists, primary care doctors, acute and sub-acute services work in concert to ensure that the system is all encompassing.

Press Release

Vision for Access and Sustainability

DC Hospitals Deliver More Than Medicine
DC hospitals are a driving force in community and economic development for the District of Columbia and beyond. Download and share this infographic to promote the benefits of hospitals-beyond just delivering medicine and care. The investment report highlights DC hospital contributions to uncompensated care, charity care, bad debt, community improvement projects, health professionals education, capital improvement projects, payroll and benefits and more.

Download Infographic