Saint Joseph Mount Sterling in Kentucky has received a $50,000 grant from the Kentucky Statewide Opioid Stewardship Program to participate in its Emergency Department Bridge Program.
The grant will help establish a new position within the hospital to address opioid misuse. The initiative aims to make opioid use disorder treatment available at all times.
The ED Bridge Program launched in January 2023 in collaboration with the Kentucky Hospital Association. The initiative is an expansion of the existing program, which focuses on inpatient and outpatient opioid stewardship with primary care providers.
This new program helps emergency departments make opioid use disorder treatment accessible on a 24/7 basis.
Saint Joseph Mount Sterling will be among the first 13 hospitals in the state to participate in this program.
In addition to funding the new position, participation in the new program will provide the hospital with education on opioid stewardship best practices, support and coordination on the program with the Kentucky Hospital Association, and access to clinical
advisers and subject matter experts to guide the program toward sustainability.
Saint Joseph Mount Sterling is a 42-bed hospital that is part of CHI Saint Joseph Health, which is in the CommonSpirit Health system.