NOT JUST IN THE SOUTH –
July 2, 2025 – Referrals for outpatient treatment after a suspected opioid overdose ranged from 8% to 44%, and Black patients were less likely to receive such a referral versus white patients, according to a secondary analysis of a prospective cohort study.
Among nearly 1,700 emergency department (ED) patients with suspected opioid overdose, 17.8% received a referral for outpatient treatment, 42.4% received a naloxone kit or prescription, and 8.4% received a buprenorphine prescription, reported Siri Shastry, MD, of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City, and co-authors. “The moment a patient comes into the hospital is a chance to save their life by getting them started with treatment and providing naloxone,” he added. “It is so important to think about overdose as a reachable moment, because overdose survivors unfortunately are at high risk of dying later if they don’t get help.”
