UPMC St. Margaret serves communities in southwestern Pennsylvania disproportionately affected by the opioid overdose epidemic. This devastating public health crisis touches the lives of millions of Americans. Our three Family Health Centers and Family Medicine Residency Program responded to this epidemic on several fronts, providing necessary clinical services for patients and their families, educating community leaders, and collaborating with recovery service providers. We train our residents and fellows to provide this much-needed care to their current and future patients.
The treatment of substance use disorders has always been an important part of our clinical and educational programs. SBIRT and motivational interviewing training preceded the implementation of our naloxone distribution program in 2014. Shortly thereafter, we started an MAT program in 2016 to treat patients suffering from opioid and alcohol use disorders. Our MAT program has helped many patients in recovery utilizing buprenorphine/naloxone as well as intramuscular naltrexone. Our team of dedicated MAT residents, social workers, psychiatrists, and pharmacists work collaboratively to help patients and their families in a sustainable, supportive environment.
Residents have MAT clinic experiences in all three years of training. Residents can also choose additional addiction medicine experiences by pursuing an Addiction Medicine elective or Area of Concentration in Addiction Medicine. Several of our graduates and residents have pursued addiction fellowship training subsequent to their UPMC St. Margaret residency.
As a resident, you will gain experience with
- Motivational interviewing skills training
- Working collaboratively with community-based rehabilitation, harm reduction, and support services
- Appropriate administration and monitoring of intramuscular Naltrexone for selected opioid use disorder (OUD) and alcohol use disorder patients
- Appropriate prescription and monitoring of oral Buprenorphine/naloxone for selected OUD patients
Read additional information on the opioid epidemic in Pennsylvania.
Innovative Naloxone distribution project started in our Family Health Centers – initial outcomes published in the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine
Our residency program is grateful for the generous support of the Staunton Farm Foundation to help us establish our MAT program and to Beth Nolan PhD and Alice Bell LCSW from Prevention Point Pittsburgh for our naloxone distribution program.