VIDEO: Health care system uses peer recovery specialists to combat opioid crisis

WASHINGTON — In this video, Christopher F. Freer, DO, co-chair of the Tackling Addiction Task Force and system director of emergency medicine at RWJBarnabas Health, discusses efforts within his health care system to combat the opioid epidemic.

Peer recovery specialists are an “intricate part” of these efforts, according to Freer, who is also chairman of the ED at Saint Barnabas Medical Center. These specialists are survivors of substance use disorders who assist patients at the bedside with managing opioid addiction.

Freer also discusses the role of primary care providers in the opioid epidemic.

“Many of these patients are the high-risk patients who are very difficult to treat…so we are working with our primary care providers to try to have follow-up visits for these patients across our system,” Freer said.

Freer presented on the topic at the U.S. News & World Report Annual Healthcare of Tomorrow Conference.

Disclosure: Freer reports no relevant financial disclosures.