title: A primary care/multidisciplinary harm reduction clinic including opiate bridging.
abstract: Wait times for methadone maintenance programs are associated with significant dropout rates. This puts the substance user at risk of continued illegal and high-risk behavior. We describe a unique model of daily dispensing opiates other than methadone to "bridge" clients awaiting methadone management. The Health and Harm Reduction Clinic is a community-based, primary care health clinic in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, an urban city of 1 million. The team is comprised of a family physician, nurse practitioner, social/mental health worker and addictions counsellor. Descriptive data utilizing chart reviews from 2001 to 2005 are presented: one hundred four noninjection drug users and 86 injection drug users, with 43 of the latter being "bridged." This team model, which includes opiate bridging to a methadone program, appears to provide a reasonable approach for community-based practices to offer quality care for substance-abusing patients. Further clarification of the impact on health outcomes and health service utilization is suggested.
authors.affiliation: University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. ocanada6@shaw.ca
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ross
authors.forename: Freda
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lo
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: McKim
authors.forename: G Michael
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Allan