The APS multi-disciplinary team includes, standing from left, John Peteet, Janice Kauffmann, Joanna Piechniczek-Buczek, Evan Margetson and David Curtizz; seated, Melanie Renaud and Marcia Ferrigno; Alison Fife and Sara Brenner are not pictured.
The BWH Addiction Psychiatry Service (APS), formerly known as the ACE Team, provides substance abuse consultation and educational services to BWH physicians, nurses and care coordination clinicians for medical, surgical and OB/GYN inpatients and outpatients, including those in the Emergency Department. APS substance abuse consultations provide early identification, patient assessment and comprehensive evaluation, treatment-management recommendations and post-hospital disposition for inpatients, the ED and patients seen by BWH outpatient primary care providers.
In the last year, the multi-disciplinary APS team has performed approximately 1,000 consultations, many of which involved two or more patient visits, said APS Director Janice Kauffman, MPH, RN, CAS, LADC1. “We strive to convey the most up-to-date research and training to enhance the care of addicted patients in the hospital setting,” she said. “To that end, the APS is committed to provide assistance to the medical/surgical, emergency and OB physicians, nurses and social workers in handling the complex medical, behavioral and resource needs of chemically dependent patients.”
Joanne Piechniczek-Buczek, MD, who was appointed as APS medical director in August, said, “Our goal is to provide expert, respectful and caring consultation to BWH staff to help them treat and manage patients with substance use disorders in the most clinically effective and humane fashion possible.”
Upon request by an inpatient physician, the APS provides diagnosis of substance use and comprehensive psychosocial assessment, including examination of the patient and consultation with the medical/surgical team.
The APS does not provide substance abuse treatment services. It does make ongoing treatment and management recommendations for medical/surgical inpatients in a collaborative relationship with the medical/surgical service physicians. This includes recommendations for psychopharmacologic management of substance use disorders and co-occurring psychiatric disorders, behavioral approaches for inpatient management, and substance abuse and psychotherapy treatment recommendations upon discharge from the hospital. Referrals are made to the comprehensive Addictions Recovery Program at Faulkner Hospital, which has an inpatient, partial hospital and outpatient treatment continuum, the BWH Health Centers and other Partners Psychiatry or community substance abuse treatment programs.
The APS provides staff education and liaison activities pertaining to patient care. This includes consultation to staff and bedside teaching, participation in rounds, multidisciplinary team “summit meetings,” family interventions, other educational functions and group sessions for staff, and hospital policy development.
The APS provides assistance in disposition planning. In addition, APS provides education for residents and fellows through its ACGME-accredited program in addiction psychiatry and contributes to hospital-wide policies.
Contact APS at ext. 2-6022.