Birmingham, Ala.-based UABHospital is expanding the capacity of its Addiction Recovery Program by 60 percent, from 10 beds to 16, to better serve the increasing number of patients struggling with addiction to opioids and intravenous drugs, according to a report from AL.com.
The hospital has also added nurses and technicians to serve these patients in outpatient treatment.
Under the ARP program, patients typically spend one month in the inpatient program and two months in outpatient treatment, according to the report.
Use of heroin and other opioid drugs in Birmingham has increased in recent years, with the number of heroin overdose deaths rising from 18 in 2009 to more than 120 in 2014, according to the Jefferson County Coroner's Office, AL.com reported. Although the number of heroin-related deaths has since begun to decrease, deaths from other drugs, such as fentanyl, have increased.
Patients with serious complications as a result of IV drug use, such as life-threatening infections of heart tissue, often seek expensive treatment at UAB Hospital. Although they may be admitted for weeks at a time, such medical care does not address the underlying addiction. The added beds in the ARP program will expand the opportunity to offer such patients addiction treatment while they recover from physical illnesses.
"We are trying to be out on the front of helping people," said Teri Williams, administrative director of the addiction recovery unit. "While they are in the hospital, we can ask if they want help. Would they be interested in suboxone treatment instead of continuing to use IV drugs?"
The ARP will offer suboxone and other medication-assisted treatment to lower cravings for those addicted to opioids.