CCMS Medicine Spring 2017 - 23

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be followed up by a 2-month online post-test to ensure lasting
changes in prescribing habits. Continuing education units were
awarded from several accreditation bodies so that participants
of different professions earned the appropriate credits.
Practitioners interested in taking a SCOPE of Pain course can
visit scopeofpain.org to look for a live conference or online
course which suits their schedule.
Between these two valuable presentations, a symposium was
held Friday, March 17th at the Philadelphia County Medical
Society. Organizers invited representatives from each of the
southeastern Pennsylvania counties as well as some regionaland state-affiliated groups to join an interactive discussion
focused on troubleshooting problems we are all facing in our
efforts to prevent overdose. Participants come from a wide
cross-section of those dealing with overdose, including health
department, drug & alcohol department, and medical society
members; policy planners; data analysts; law enforcement and
first responder representatives; treatment facility directors;
behavioral health specialists; and more. An overview of each
county's efforts was offered during a morning session. Many
of the efforts, like naloxone distribution, were common to all
counties. Some initiatives were more unique, such as Bensalem
Police Assisting in Recovery (BPAIR) program and Chester
County's 5K Color Run. BPAIR uses police stations as a
location to connect those seeking treatment for substance use
disorders with the care they need. For a variety of conditions,
a "warm handoff" directly to care appears to be more effective
than simply referring individuals and expecting they will make
the recommended appointment themselves; this approach is
even more essential for individuals with substance use when
willingness to pursue treatment is often fleeting. The Color
Run raised $25,000 which was distributed to the county's
hospitals to bolster their warm handoff efforts.
The afternoon session was devoted to collaboration on
certain challenges which organizers and participants identified
as common to every county. Data gathering is a difficulty both
within and across counties, and participants were engaged in
an active discussion regarding obtaining and sharing accurate
information from first responders, the Pennsylvania Prescription
Drug Monitoring Program, the Delaware Valley Intelligence
Center, and other data sources. An additional breakout group
addressed real-time treatment inventory and inter-county
collaboration to facilitate warm handoffs. The third small group
tried to answer the question of how we can increase access to
care by advancing primary care and emergency care linkages
to treatment. This included increasing support for Screening,
Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT), warm
handoffs, and Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT). Finally,
another group tackled safer prescribing and increasing naloxone
access.
Needless to say, all groups found victories to celebrate,
frustrations to overcome, and obstacles to tackle. With so
many inter-county connections made, however, participants

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are optimistic that we can collaborate and move each other forward.
Planners have already begun discussing a second meeting. We know
that the opioid crisis will not be solved in one weekend or by one
task force, but by a sustained, concerted effort. Whether it is by
educating yourself on safer prescribing, advocating for appropriate
funding, or becoming a member of your local task force, we welcome
you to join.
For more information, please contact Dr. Renée Cassidy at
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S P R I N G 2 0 1 7 | C H E S T E R C O U N T Y M E D I C I N E 23

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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of CCMS Medicine Spring 2017