Attention Doctors!! How You Can Help Patients with Opioid Addiction
- Attention Doctors!! How You Can Help Patients with Opioid Addiction is also available as a printable, two-sided, tri-foldable brochure (PDF, 431KB, 2pg.)
The New York State Department of Health strongly urges physicians to become qualified to treat their patients who are addicted to opioids or to advise such patients to obtain treatment from a qualified physician.
"Pescription drug abuse has reached an all time high and we, as physicians, can play an important role in providing treatment." Richard F. Daines, Commissioner, New York State Department of Health
The Problem is Urgent
- Every month the New York State Department of Health identifies thousands of patients who obtain controlled substance prescriptions from multiple prescribers within the same month, an activity often referred to as "doctor shopping."
- The New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services estimates that 1.8 million New Yorkers require assistance with chemical dependency.
- Emergency room visits due to abuse of prescription drugs are higher than the number of visits due to abuse of marijuana and heroin combined.
- For every person addicted to heroin, there are two persons addicted to prescription narcotics.
- According to a survey of teenagers by the Partnership for a DrugFree America, 1 in 5 teens has tried hydrocodone to get high.
How You Can Become Qualified to Treat Opioid Addiction
A physician must belicensed under State law to practice medicine and obtain a waiver to prescribe or dispense buprenorphine from the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). To obtain a waiver a physician needs to meet one or more of the following conditions:
- A subspecialty board certification in addiction psychiatry from the American Board of Medical Specialties.
- An addiction certification from the American Society of Addiction Medicine(ASAM).
- A subspecialty board certification in addiction medicine from the American Osteopathic Association (AOA).
- Not less than 8 hours of training in treatment and management of opiate dependent patients from ASAM, the American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry, the American Medical Association,the AOA,the American Psychiatric Association or another accredited agency.
For treatment training in your area, or to obtain a waiver visit the SAMHSA website www.buprenorphine.samhsa.gov or contact SAMHSA at 866-BUP-CSAT (866-287-2728).
Buprenorphine Mentorship Program
If you are qualified to treat opioid addiction but are not prescribing buprenorphine, you may join a buprenorphine mentorship program. For information, please contact the Upstate New York Mentorship Program at 315-477-8479 or online at hel01@health.state.ny.us
If You Do Not Wish to Become Qualified to Treat Opioid Addiction
If you do not wish to become qualified to treat opioid addiction, please refer your patient to a physician qualified to do so. To search, go to www.buprenorphine.samhsa.gov. Click on "Data Physician Locator" under the "General" category.
This will bring you to a listing of qualified physicians, which you can search by city, county or zip code.
Questions May Be Directed to the Following Resources
- New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services
800-522-5353
www.oasas.state.ny.us - New York State Department of Health Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement
866-811-7957
www.nyhealth.gov/professionals/narcotic - Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Office of Applied Studies, Drug Abuse Warning Network
www.oas.samhsa.gov
This Project was Supported by Award Number 2003-PM-BX-0007 Awarded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice.
State of New York Department of Health
Publication 1075 Rev 1/09
