Opioid Steering Committee Wellstar Behavioral Health offers a variety of services to assist the unique health needs of our community members. As part of our ongoing efforts, the Wellstar Opioid Steering Committee is focused on planning and implementing a comprehensive response to growing opioid misuse. A collaborative team of Wellstar providers, patients and communities have come together to help reduce opioid misuse, abuse, and addiction. Three physician-led workgroups lead the charge using provider and patient education, clinical initiatives, and community awareness and engagement. In the 2022 CHNA Implementation Plan, Wellstar Behavioral Health committed to the reduction of opioid scripts, reduction of co-prescribed medications (opioids and benzodiazepines) (Figure 10) , and the implementation of fentanyl testing across the system. Achievements: ■ With ongoing emphasis on opioid stewardship, opioid prescribing results have improved each fiscal year. ■ In recognition of the dangers of combining opioids and Figure 10 | Opioid Prescribing Rate Opioid Scripts Per 100
3.5 3.0 2.5 2.0 1.5 1.0 .5 0
benzodiazepines, providers may discover that either class may have been prescribed and filled elsewhere. In each fiscal year, providers utilized prescription drug monitoring program data through individual provider alerts and reviewable reports at the time of prescribing to reduce duplication. ■ By the end of fiscal year 2024, fentanyl testing was available in all Wellstar emergency departments. Zero Suicide Initiative
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Wellstar’s Suicide Prevention initiative was derived from the national Zero Suicide (ZS) framework, offering a cohesive care model and continuous process improvement to prevent deaths by suicide for patients under active care. Through implementation of the ZS core elements (Lead, Engage, Identify, Treat, Transition, Train, & Improve), Wellstar’s approach includes the routinizing of screening for suicidal thoughts, proactive education about risk factors and warning signs to healthcare clinicians, evidence-based safety planning, suicide-specific care, and stepped-care case management to augment behavioral healthcare and keep our most vulnerable patients safe. In the 2022 CHNA
Figure 11 | Zero Suicide Initiative Risk Screening % Risk Screenings Completed
Figure 12 | Zero Suicide Initiative Safety Plan % Safety Plans Evaluated
Implementation Plan, Wellstar Behavioral Health committed to the utilization of standardized risk screening in emergency departments (Figure 11) , the completion of safety plans for all patients evaluated in the emergency department by a behavioral health team member who discharged to the community (Figure 12) , and the application of the stepped-care model for high-risk patients.
87% 86% 85% 84% 83% 82% 81% 80%
80% 79% 78% 77% 76% 75% 74% 73%
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24 | WELLSTAR HEALTH SYSTEM
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