Aegis Treatment Centers Launches Hub & Spoke Program to Combat Opioid Crisis in 17 California Counties
(PRWEB) March 28, 2018 -- Rural communities located throughout 17 mostly northern California counties have struggled to provide medical treatment for patients with Opioid Use Disorder (OUD). However, that’s changing thanks to six grants totaling $28.6 million awarded by the state of California to Aegis Treatment Centers.
Over the next 18 months, Aegis, which has the largest network of Narcotic Treatment Programs (NTPs) in California, will bring medication-assisted treatment (MAT) to these underserved areas using a proven model called “Hub and Spoke.”
Hub and Spoke was successfully pioneered four years ago by the state of Vermont. It delivers MAT to patients who desperately want treatment for their OUD; however geographic barriers stand in their way.
“From experience, we know proximity and access directly correlate with patient success or failure,” said Alex Dodd, CEO of Aegis Treatment Centers. “If those with OUD must navigate complicated logistics and travel many hours each day to see their health provider, they are much less likely to start and stay in treatment.”
MAT for opioid addiction has been the American Medical Association’s standard of care for more than five decades. It significantly reduces the use of illicit opioids and improves outcomes by combining medication, such as methadone or buprenorphine (Suboxone), with ongoing individual and group counseling, all in a medical setting and under medical supervision.
Hub and Spoke aims to make MAT available for those residing in more rural California areas by partnering with community-based health practitioners located in these counties Yuba, Lake,
Mendocino, Nevada, Placer, El Dorado, Shasta, Siskiyou, Trinity, Del Norte, Butte, Lassen, Tehama, Plumas, Humboldt, San Joaquin, and Stanislaus.
Five existing Aegis centers have been designated to serve as centralized, highly-experienced Hubs, providing ongoing education, training, coordination, and supervision for the community-based Spokes. A sixth Hub location will be opened in Humboldt County later this year.
The Spokes will be imbedded in established local medical practices, including community clinics, federally qualified health centers (FQHC), physician offices, and other outpatient settings. Spoke providers will be comprised of local physicians, nurses and other clinical professionals.
“Spokes allow us to tap into existing resources and deliver appropriate, coordinated care to remote populations in dire need,” said Dodd. “Providing timely care will save lives and dramatically improve the quality of life for patients and their families.”
Vermont’s Hub and Spoke outcomes have been impressive. Currently, more than 6,000 patients are enrolled and the state now has the highest capacity for treating OUD in the U.S.
A 2017 study of 100 participants in Vermont’s Hub and Spoke model revealed that none had experienced overdose while in treatment and the number of trips to emergency rooms dropped significantly. Additionally, 96 percent reported an overall decrease in opioid use. The study also revealed the program garners positive feedback from participants.
About Aegis Treatment Centers
Aegis Treatment Centers is the largest network of Narcotic Treatment Programs (NTPs) in California, operating 32 clinics throughout the state and serving over 10,000 patients each day. Founded twenty years ago, Aegis has treated more than 125,000 patients. All clinics are accredited by the Commission on the Accreditation of Rehabilitation (CARF), each having a three-year accreditation. Each clinic has its own Medical Director plus a highly-trained clinical staff, including psychologists, master’s degree-level trained therapists, interns, and counselors. Aegis also has internship and training programs with many colleges and universities throughout California.
Hal Wurtzel, Aegis Treatment Centers, +1 8183074455, [email protected]
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