The META:PHI care pathway
- Patients presenting to any health care setting – withdrawal management services (WMS), hospital, psychiatry, primary care provider – with a condition related to substance use receive highly effective, evidence-based treatment
- On discharge, patients are referred to a rapid access addiction medicine (RAAM) clinic, which they can attend without a booked appointment or formal referral note
- At the RAAM clinic, an addiction specialist immediately provides brief counselling, prescribes appropriate addiction medications (such as buprenorphine, naltrexone, or acamprosate), and connects patients to community treatment programs
- Once patients are stabilized, they are referred back to primary care for long-term follow-up
- The RAAM clinician provides ongoing support by being available to primary care providers for re-assessments, consultations, and advice about addiction management
- Patients move throughout the care pathway as needed, with communication between providers in the different settings
The result of the META:PHI care pathway is a fully integrated system in which patients receive evidence-based care at every step.
Model resources
A guide to rapid access addiction medicine (RAAM) clinics (Version date: 15 November 2017) – A FAQ for care providers about starting and working in a RAAM clinic
RAAM clinic best practices (Version date: 11 April 2018) – An explanation of best practices within the RAAM clinic model
If you are interested in implementing the META:PHI model in your community, please contact Kate Hardy.