In your efforts to provide Quality Care to patients being treated for Opioid Use Disorder, you might run into (at least) a few issues that are often reported by new Buprenorphine prescribers. For many patients, Opioid Use Disorders may not be an isolated problem. Patients with O.U.D. may have multiple sources of stress and bring those stressors to their treatment experience with you. So, it is imperative that you have a high standard of care in your practice, great systems, referral resources and we would like to share with you what can happen if you don't these things in place...
· You can attract patients to your practice that are seeking Buprenorphine for non-medical reasons. These patients increase over time...
· You can become an easy target for Abuse and Diversion
· If the DEA determines that Buprenorphine is doing more harm than good, it can be rescheduled from a Schedule III narcotic to a Schedule II which can negatively impact the business that you've worked so hard to establish, build and grow.
It’s important that you do your part in protecting this privilege.
Trust me, patients can tell what type of rules and systems you have in place within their very FIRST phone call to your office. I have found that receptionists are the single most important person on your treatment team when it comes to protecting your practice and program yet they receive the least training. Remember, you are well within your right as a clinician to impose requirements, establish appropriate systems and to tell patients
"No one here knows if you’re here for a cold, a rash or Opioid Dependence treatment. They won’t know until you show them with your behavior. So, if you bring inappropriate behaviors to my practice, I will be required to put more restrictions on your program or refer you to a program that can appropriately address your symptoms. Are we clear on that"
There's nothing wrong with setting, maintaining standards or demonstrating a little tough love. Think about your favorite teacher growing up. They are likely to be your favorite because they challenged you to be as great as they thought you could be. The same is true for your patients. Seeing the best in themselves may take a while due to guilt and shame so it is up to you to know that they can achieve the best version of themselves with your help then, help them to get there.
I can help you to put those systems in place to reduce the possibility of your office becoming a target to Abuse and Diversion of Suboxone. Let’s schedule a call and a practice Readiness Assessment TODAY!