At St. Tammany Health System, a new approach to addiction care is meeting patients where they are – in the emergency room – and offering treatment when it can matter most: in the moment they are ready to accept help.
That philosophy underpins the Bridge program, an evidence-based model designed to turn brief emergency visits into pathways for long-term recovery. On Tuesday, representatives from the state and national Bridge organizations met with a team from the health system to share best practices and identify opportunities to build on the program’s early rollout.
The visit began with a breakfast session for the hospital’s multidisciplinary Bridge implementation committee, led by Bridge representatives and focused on strengthening the health system’s approach to substance-use intervention.
The session focused on the Bridge model, which identifies patients with substance-use disorders – particularly in emergency settings – and connects them with immediate treatment and long-term support. The training brought together representatives from emergency services, pharmacy, care navigation, social work and other departments, all of whom serve on the health system’s internal Bridge committee.
Under the Bridge model, ED clinicians are trained to recognize signs of substance-use disorder and, when appropriate, begin medication-assisted treatment during the patient’s visit. That initial step is paired with coordinated follow-up care after discharge, supported by hospital pharmacists, navigators and social workers.
St. Tammany Health System is the only hospital with such a program in the five-parish region defined by the Louisiana Office of Public Health’s Region 9, which encompasses Livingston, St. Helena, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa and Washington parishes. Prior to its launch earlier this year, the nearest Louisiana hospital offering a similar program was in Lake Charles.
Following the Tuesday-morning session, local and national Bridge representatives toured St. Tammany Parish Hospital’s Emergency Department and Obstetric Emergency Department, reviewing workflows and offering feedback on opportunities for continued improvement.
While the work involves multiple departments and processes, the goal is straightforward, according to STHS Director of Emergency Services Bradley Leonhard.
“It’s really about our community, caring for our community,” he said.
Visit BridgeToTreatment.org/About to learn more about the Bridge program.