Addictions consulting for healthcare organizations
IRETA works with systems that want to be ready to address substance use and addiction as part of overall health. We coach providers who need patient engagement skills, or knowledge of addiction medications. We help whole organizations orient their services toward recognizing and responding effectively to substance use, addiction, and related problems.
8.5 million American adults suffer from both a mental health disorder and a substance use disorder, or co-occurring disorders.
Citation: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (2018)
Patients seeking physical or mental healthcare are often affected by addiction
Although these patients may present differently depending on the setting (overdose victims, complex and interconnected mental health, and substance use disorders), no matter where you work in healthcare, you see patients affected by addiction.
IRETA is committed to due diligence before embarking on a change process. IRETA staff and organization leadership collaboratively assess the program’s needs, using available data, observation of work processes, and feedback from staff members.
Based on the results of a thorough assessment, IRETA creates an effective change package that fits the organization’s needs.
For a health system or primary care setting, that could include:
- Guiding the use of addiction medications like buprenorphine and injectable naltrexone
- Providing training and coaching on Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment
- Establishing protocols to guide on-site substance use disorder treatment
- Helping to set the threshold for referral to the specialty addiction system
- Establishing a consultation service for complicated cases to better meet patient needs.
For a mental health system, that could include:
- Providing training and coaching on Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment
- Establishing protocols to assess patients with co-occurring psychiatric and substance use disorders
- Regular case consultation for patients with co-occurring psychiatric and substance use disorders
- Establishing treatment protocols for implementation within mental health settings for patients with co-occurring disorders.
- Guiding the use of addiction medications in mental health settings
- All of our change plans emphasize learning and changing practices in the client’s workspace.
IRETA’s effective change process
IRETA tailors consulting services to our client’s specific needs. We spend time understanding your process and problems.
We look at data, meet with staff and stakeholders, conduct focus groups, and observe interactions with patients/consumers.
From there, we devise a change plan that fits the outcomes our clients want to achieve.
Step 1: Data Gathering
We gather baseline evaluation data and become acquainted with our client’s clinical and/or administrative processes. Depending on the client, data gathering can take many forms, including observation, staff interviews, and participant outcomes.
Step 2: Feedback and Collaboration
We present feedback on the program’s performance and work collaboratively with the client to identify the effective change process that fits the program’s needs.
Step 3: Training and Coaching
We offer training, coaching, supervision, and implementation assistance with new practices and processes. During this period, we emphasize the importance of the program becoming familiar with and–most importantly–using its own data as a matter of regular practice.
Step 4: Evaluating and Formalizing Effective Changes
We gather evaluation data and help the client install processes and structures to sustain change.
Do You See Ways to Work Better?
Discuss what’s working in your healthcare setting, and where you see room for improvement. Contact us to explore change possibilities.
