Earlier this year, the Washington State Department of Health (WSDOH) expanded its Telebuprenorphone (Telebupe) Hotline statewide. The hotline helps people suffering from withdrawal due to Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) with Buprenorphine (also known as Suboxone).
While deaths due to opioid overdose have declined, opioid deaths
in Washington State are still above the opioid death rate in the U.S. as a
whole. As a result, WSDOH has partnered with the University of Washington
Emergency Medicine to expand a pilot program that started in King County to provide
rapid, short-term access to Buprenorphine statewide.
Washington State Opioid Deaths:
|
2019 |
828 |
|
2020 |
1,194 |
|
2021 |
1,619 |
|
2022 |
2,048 |
|
2023 |
2,819 |
|
2024 |
2,489 |
The goal of this service is to reduce opioid deaths by providing short-term
support that stabilizes withdrawal symptoms, then the service offers longer-term
care to providers within the caller’s community
Someone, aged 13 years old or older, in need of Buprenorphine can
call the hotline at 206-289-0287, 7 days a week between 9:00am and 9:00pm.
Callers first speak with a linkage-to-care coordinator who is familiar with
local clinics and resources who will ask a few questions. Then the caller will
talk to a UW Emergency physician. If the physician determines that a medication
is appropriate a prescription will be sent to a pharmacy of the caller’s choice.
Within 72 hours, a Linkage to Care Coordinator will check in on the callers and
offer resources for ongoing Medicated Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD) care. If you
call outside of the hotline’s work hours, you can leave a voicemail, and someone
will return your call the next day.
The Tele visit is not billed, but patients need to pay for prescribed
medications. If you do not have insurance, the hotline can provide coupons to
help with the cost of the medication as much as possible.
.
For more information about the Telebupe Hotline check out the
following links.
University of Washington Emergency Medicine:
https://em.uw.edu/sections/population-health/wa-telebuprenorphine-program
Washington State Department of Health:
https://doh.wa.gov/newsroom/washington-state-expands-same-day-support-opioid-use-disorder
The Seattle Times:
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