For patients with substance use disorders (SUD), hospitalization can be a critical opportunity to begin treatment and recovery. Renown Health's new inpatient consultation-liaison service brings board-certified physicians directly to the bedside to provide evidence-based care, support and care coordination for patients experiencing SUD.
Introducing the Addiction Medicine Consultation Liaison Program
The consultation-liaison program is led by the highly specialized and double board-certified Addiction Medicine specialists, Charlene Letchford, MD and Ngoc Khuyen Tran, MD, who have overseen its implementation across Renown’s hospitals. This service will treat patients of all ages, including youth with substance use disorders.
The service integrates clinical care with education and academic engagement, aligning with Renown and the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine’s integrated academic health system mission.
A Bridge Between Acute Medical Care and Ongoing Addiction Treatment
Our addiction medicine specialists act as a bridge between acute medical care and ongoing addiction treatment by providing:
Compassionate, patient-centered care without stigma or judgment.
Bedside consultation and assessment for patients with substance use disorders (SUD), including withdrawal risk evaluation and education about ongoing care.
Medication support and guidance on medications used to treat addiction.
Connections to ongoing treatment including addiction counseling, group therapy, intensive outpatient programs and partial hospitalization programs when appropriate.
Care team collaboration to support education, best practices in addiction medicine and stigma reduction.
Coordinated support services through close partnerships with peer support specialists, social workers, case managers and the patient's care team.
Renown does not offer residential or primary inpatient treatment for SUD or withdrawal. However, behavioral health crisis and withdrawal treatment are available at the Renown Crisis Care Center, and outpatient programs are available through Renown Behavioral Health. Renown will continue to collaborate with community organizations that specialize in inpatient and outpatient addiction and behavioral health services.
At Renown’s Crisis Care Center, Peer Support Specialists help patients through some of the hardest moments of their lives with compassion, practical support and a steady presence. We sat down with Valerie Butler, a Peer Support Specialist at the Crisis Care Center, to talk about what brought her to this work, what a typical shift looks like and why crisis care is such a critical resource for our community.
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