Experts from DC Health, the Department of Forensic Sciences, and the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will discuss opioid trends, testing, and composition in the District. The speakers will estimate the scope of the District’s opioid epidemic evidenced by data on overdoses, hospital transports, Narcan administration and deaths, and key demographics of individuals who have overdosed on opioids. The presenters will describe trends in opioid composition, including fentanyl levels, and outline methods used for overdose and opioid surveillance.
Presenters: Kenan Zamore, MPH, Senior Research Epidemiologist, DC Health and Stephen Raso, MD, PhD, Deputy Chief Toxicologist, Office of the Chief Medical Examiner
Death and disability resulting from the use of prescription and street opioids has skyrocketed in the past 20 years, and emergency departments have seen a sharp escalation in visits related to opioid use disorder, opioid overdose, and chronic pain. This presentation will describe the fundamental principles around the prevention, identification, and treatment of patients with OUD, with an emphasis on the first-line therapy buprenorphine, which protects OUD patients from withdrawal, cravings and overdose, if effectively initiated from the ED.
Presenter: Dr. Reuben Strayer, MD, FRCPC, FAAEM, FASAM, Author of emupdates.com and Emergency Physician based in New York City
Using research-based information, this session will identify, define, and examine various aspects of creating and cultivating well-being. Neuroscience, mindfulness, metacognition, and growth mindset will act as the foundational principles. Using L.D. Fink’s integrated learning experiences/processes, each participant will begin, and hopefully finish, the process of creating their own personal well-being mind map.
Presenter: Cindy Pavell, MS, Exercise Science & Health, Milken Institute School of Public Health, The George Washington University
Our attitudes as clinicians are informed by our histories and politics – our attitudes towards drug use are informed by 100 years of the War on Drugs. This presentation will review historical evolution of policies restricting drug use, our ability to treat people with substance use disorders, and how our attitudes towards our clinical practices have been informed by social and legal factors other than evidence-based best practice. We will review the evidence and philosophical underpinning of adopting a patient-centered harm reduction framework to advance the health and well-being of people who use drugs and discuss ways to implement harm reduction principles into your clinical practice.
Presenter: Laura Haselden, MD, MPM, Emergency Physician and Senior Health Policy Fellow, Georgetown Emergency Medicine
CE credits available to physicians, nurses and social workers.
This activity is sponsored by the State Opioid Response Grant through the District of Columbia Department of Behavioral Health.
