Document Type

Abstract

Publication Date

2-2021

Academic Year

2020-2021

Abstract

Purpose: Significant stigma surrounds patients with opioid use disorder (OUD). This stigma repeatedly follows patients into the ED and negatively influences care. All ED staff impact the patient journey in the ED and the success with which OUD patients receive a warm handoff to a recovery organization. What is the current attitude of Jefferson’s clinical staff towards patients with OUD?

Methods: The authors developed and deployed a survey to Jefferson’s ED clinical staff members through Qualtrics. The survey was informed by the validated Medical Condition Regard Scale (MCRS) to capture staff sentiments towards patients with OUD. Respondents job category, job description, campus key and name were collected at the start of each survey.

Results and Conclusions: Results are in progress. To date, 398 ED clinical staff members completed the survey. The average MCRS score is 47.3 (66 max). The average of most job categories surveyed exhibited an MCRS score close to the global mean with the exception of the “Pharmacy” and “Patient Access” categories in which the MCRS score was higher (low 50s). The results suggest that there is room for improvement of clinical staff attitudes towards this vulnerable patient population. As the epidemic continues to escalate, educators will need to identify methods to engage staff members in order to improve outcomes of patients with OUD who present to the ED.

Language

English

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