The Los Angeles County Prescription Drug Abuse Medical Task Force, a coalition of stakeholders that includes the California American College of Emergency Physicians, LA County Medical Association, the Hospital Association of Southern California, LA County Department of Public Health, LA County Department of Health Services and Kaiser Permanente, has been meeting to establish in Los Angeles County emergency departments (EDs) Safe Pain Medicine Prescribing in Emergency Departments. This program will be similar to one that has been successfully implemented in San Diego and Imperial Counties.

According to an online survey of Los Angeles County EDs completed by the task force, 55 percent reported not having a policy or guideline in place regarding opioid prescriptions written from the ED, and 87 percent reported that their ED and ED physicians would support a recommendation to adopt the guidelines contained in the patient handout. The Community Clinic Association of Los Angeles County has joined the initiative and will provide PCP/Medical Home access for ED patients in need of follow-up after ED visits.

The task force’s current goal is to confirm with participating EDs their intent to adopt and use the patient handout titled Safe Pain Medicine Prescribing in Emergency Departments. The task force will print and distribute an initial two-month supply of patient handouts to each ED in the county. The intent is for each ED to provide this handout to all ED patients or their guardians at the time of discharge from the ED. EDs will be responsible to print handouts after the initial supply has been used.

Additionally, the task force is developing a toolkit that will assist EDs as they implement the use of the patient handout. The toolkit includes guidance concerning pain management, patient satisfaction, EMTALA, addiction treatment referrals, community clinic referrals, as well as other resources. The task force is also developing a website, which will include all items in the toolkit, including an electronic copy of the patient handout as well as additional resources.

A media event to announce this countywide effort will occur later this spring and will highlight each institution’s participation in the effort.

Contact: Jaime Garcia

(213) 538-0702, jgarcia@hasc.org