251 Ethical care systems for substance use disorder (SUD): Evaluating stigma and clinical decision-making

Abstract

Objectives/Goals: This project (1) assesses provider behavior at the Galveston Secure Against the Fentanyl Epidemic (G-SAFE) Clinic in providing evidence-based care for underserved patients in our community and (2) implements evidence-based anti-stigma intervention in local health care. Methods/Study Population: The efficacy and impact of G-SAFE on healthcare utilization, health outcomes, and patient satisfaction will be determined. Evaluations assessing provider behavior will be made across at least 25 clinic patient visits, taking note of medical students, clinicians, and health providers’ interactions with patients related to decision-making, care plan creation, and communication. Health provider discussion groups will provide essential data in understanding the successful management of SUDs, management of safety and risk, and how best to pilot and assess interventions that promote greater trust-building and a harm-reduction approach to clinical care for patient empowerment and positive outcomes. Results/Anticipated Results: Observations in the clinic will be turned into interventions to improve diagnostics and therapeutics for SUD medical care and behavioral change. We will recruit 40 medical students (with/without exposure to UTMB’s free clinics) as well as 20 clinicians in the G-SAFE Clinic, Emergency Medicine, and Primary Care. Baseline stigma will be measured with the Medical Condition Regard Scale and the Drug and Drug Problems Questionnaire alongside measures of care approaches. The data collected and the educational intervention for medical students and clinicians will make a positive impact on the lives of those affected by SUDs and serve as a model for future interventions on a larger scale. Discussion/Significance of Impact: Health provider’s SUDs stigma undermines both care quality, patient empowerment, and recovery success. Addressing provider stigma is crucial for necessitating a shift toward collaborative, responsive, and creative clinical decision-making to tackle the ethical challenges posed by the opioid crisis.