Low barrier, permanent supportive housing 100%
MP Dr. Strauss is justified in highlighting the ongoing challenges of our opioid epidemic. I attend to opioid users pretty much daily. Let me outline the challenges: 👇👇👇View quoted post on X
1. Some patients flatly refuse suboxone. That's pretty common.
2. Many patients have used opioids very recently and just aren't candidates for suboxone.
3. Like Dr. Azar said, they're homeless and there are no shelters. I'm sending the gambler right back into the casino.
4. There are no detox beds.
5. There are no medical detox beds.
6. Off banker's hours in ER there's just nurses and ER doctors - that's when a lot of patients come. Holding them until the morning in ERs bursting at the seams is not tenable.
7. There is not one magic cure for all patients. There's no silver bullet. Some need OAT (Kadian, Suboxone, Methadone) and yes, some with wrap-around support need safe supply (I don't prescribe that).
If I was to pick one magic silver bullet to all of this - it is unquestionably to me, as an experienced ER doctor - housing. Stable housing. This is 100% apolitical and we should be able to agree on this. @strauss_matt
