Withdrawal Service fills significant care gap for tri-state residents struggling with addiction
Reynolds Memorial Hospital opened the first medically supervised inpatient substance abuse withdrawal service in the tri-state region of West Virginia, Ohio, and Pennsylvania in September 2015.
The withdrawal service, known as BreakThru, addresses the distinct needs of patients seeking help to break the cycle of substance abuse in a safe and discreet manner in an acute care hospital and has treated more than 100 patients in the first six months.
Recognizing the withdrawal service’s impact on the community, the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of West Virginia granted Reynolds Memorial Hospital with a Community Outreach Award in ceremonies May 9, 2016.
How BreakThru works
The initial stages of withdrawal are the most difficult because symptoms can cause severe anxiety, pain, distress, and other potentially life-threatening symptoms. Doctors and nurses monitor patient status, administer medications to ease symptoms and ensure patient safety and comfort. The treatment is covered by Medicaid, Medicare, and most health insurance providers. A generous grant from the Schenk Family Foundation ensures that uninsured patients are able to access the program as well.
“We are pleased to provide an essential medical service to the tri-state community, combatting what we feel is the single greatest threat to humanity and our civilized society,” said David Hess, M.D., chief executive officer at Reynolds Memorial Hospital. “We are encouraged that so many have trusted us to care for them and stand committed to help many more fight the devastating effects of addiction.”
BreakThru is a medical withdrawal management service for individuals who are in imminent or active early withdrawal from alcohol or drug abuse. These patients are cared for in the hospital, often in private rooms, where the physical symptoms of the withdrawal process are medically supervised to ensure safety, comfort, and confidentiality.
Average length of stay during BreakThru
The average length of stay is three days, and the service further assists patients in transitioning to the next phase of recovery after discharge from the hospital.
“We work in close partnership with other abuse and recovery organizations to ensure patient success,” Hess said. “Our role is in the first few days, whereas our partner community-based organizations continue the long-term recovery process for each patient.
“Breaking the addiction cycle requires removing barriers for the patient,” said Brad Fercho, CEO of TriTanium Solutions. “Losing confidentiality and the imminence of exaggerated withdrawal symptoms are major hurdles that keep people from seeking help. BreakThru is a TriTanium Solutions service line, which is a contracted service to Reynolds Memorial Hospital. Our care model is based on medical evidence with quality metrics and has been shown to be highly effective in helping people overcome drug and alcohol related issues and get their lives back on track.”
Contact
Access to BreakThru services is available by calling 304-221-4528. The office, located in Reynolds Memorial Hospital, is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.