Denver Health – Obstetrics Perinatal Addiction and Recovery
Denver Health had a vision to decrease morbidity and mortality related to substance use in pregnant and post-partum patients. As a result, the Obstetrics Perinatal and Addiction Recovery program (OB PEAR), a robust, multidisciplinary, and equitable care bundle was implemented.
The goals of OB PEAR are:
- Improved identification of pregnant patients with substance use disorders (SUD) through SBIRT (short, brief intervention, and referral to treatment)
- Enhanced linkage to care for patients diagnosed with SUDs through consistent referrals to OB PEAR providers, behavioral health, and peer support services
- Optimization of clinical care for pregnant patients with SUD through implementation of standardized care guidelines and treatment checklists
- Elimination of stigma towards pregnant patients with SUD through robust health care team education
Some early successes and achievements include new and revised policies that align with current best practices, and standardization of institutional workflows for linkage to care for both inpatient and outpatient settings.
Other successes include the following:
- Universal screening for all pregnant patients has increased to greater than 90 percent
- More than 70 percent connections to peer support services for patients with SUD in pregnancy
- Distribution of nearly 100 naloxone kits to patients with new opioid prescriptions or those with SUD
To learn more about this program, please contact Kylie Culp, MD, at [email protected].