New York City-based NYC Health + Hospitals has launched simulation training for emergency department providers to improve care for patients with opioid use disorder.
The three-hour training, conducted at four sites, including the system’s Simulation Center, has reached more than 350 emergency providers, according to a Jan. 27 news release shared with Becker’s. It uses standardized patient scenarios, followed by group discussions to help clinicians learn person-centered communication, screen patients for buprenorphine treatment and use EHR tools to coordinate care.
The program is the first initiative from the system’s addiction services workforce training program and is part of broader efforts to incorporate behavioral health simulation training across care settings.
NYC Health + Hospitals is the largest behavioral healthcare provider in New York City, delivering nearly 60% of behavioral health services. The system serves over 78,000 patients annually and operates 10 outpatient substance use disorder clinics, four ancillary withdrawal programs and four opioid treatment programs.
In 2024, opioids were involved in 78% of the more than 2,000 drug overdose deaths in New York.
