Louisiana reported one of the highest percentages in overdose deaths in the nation from 2019–2021. Reports from hospitals in Louisiana show corresponding increases in visits to emergency departments for overdose. The emergency department at Lake Charles Memorial Hospital is no exception. According to local data from the Calcasieu Coroner’s Office, overdose rates in Calcasieu Parish increased 45% from 2019 to 2020 (from 36 to 52). Furthermore, 2021 surpassed all previous years with a 92% increase (from 52 to 100). Toxicology data indicates that fentanyl is the primary driver of overdose deaths in our community. A review of these cases shows that 95% of overdose deaths locally are in persons who had a history of addiction, yet only 19% had a documented history of seeking care for addiction. A bridge toward recovery Imperial Calcasieu Human Service Authority and partners at Region V Office of Public Health, both serving the five-parish area within Louisiana, recognized the exacerbated mental health crisis, homelessness and substance use in the region. As a response, the Louisiana Bridge program, modeled after the California Bridge Program, was formed through a partnership among Lake Charles Memorial Health System, Imperial Calcasieu Human Services Authority, SWLAHEC and the Region V Office of Public Health. The goal of the program is to disrupt the addiction landscape and develop hospital emergency departments into primary access points for addiction treatment. Implementation will focus on three key areas: providing rapid, evidenced-based treatment for substance use disorder and overdose in the emergency department; navigation for ongoing care; and a culture of harm reduction. Substance use disorder is a treatable chronic disease, and like other chronic ailments, untreated addiction is lifethreatening. Through the Louisiana Bridge program, Lake Charles Memorial Hospital is investing significant time and resources into expanding access to treatment for patients who misuse opioids. LCMH is one of two hospitals in the state selected to participate in a technical assistance pilot program. “We are distributing Narcan to every patient who presents with addiction or Changing the culture of substance abuse treatment 6 Memorial Medical Milestones • Winter 2023
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NzIxMDA=