The BC-CfE’s BOOST (Best practices in Oral Opioid agoniSt Therapy) Collaborative hosted its fourth learning session of the year-long project, drawing collaborators from across BC. BOOST participants have one important goal in mind: to increase the number of their clients retained on potentially living-saving Opioid Agonist Therapy (OAT).
During the day-long session, participants heard from healthcare professionals, Indigenous Elders, families and individuals affected by opioid use disorder (OUD), where topics, including Indigenous health and barriers to access, were top of mind.
Dr. David Tu, a BOOST participant and panel contributor, is a family physician with over 19 years’ experience working with the Indigenous community in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver.
“25 percent of the population in Downtown Eastside identifies as Indigenous. They have a 5-fold increase in risk of experiencing an overdose from substance use, compared to non-Indigenous populations,” said Dr. Tu.
In working with Indigenous people, they have their own context, experiences, wishes and dreams.
-Dr. David Tu
BOOST participant and panel contributor
Dr. Tu urged participants to remember the words of Elder Shane Point, “Necamat Shqwaluwun”, which translates as “One heart, one mind”, which helped him understand how best to engage with this community.
A second discussion panel focused on how healthcare workers can help clients overcome the barriers they face initiating and retaining on OAT. A number of issues were addressed, including the stigma faced by clients and system-level restrictions.
Guy Felicella, a former DTES resident and Peer Advisor for BOOST, emphasized the value of the peer component in helping clients along their journey. “When I wanted help, I went to a person who got out and changed their life. Having that component in itself, makes the clinic more inviting and easier to access for those with OUD.”
While closing the event, Dr. Cole Stanley, BOOST’s Medical Lead, discussed the importance of the September learning session as the project draws to a close. “This learning session is such an important milestone in the provincial BOOST Collaborative’s calendar. It is an opportunity to reinforce, reflect on, and share the significant strides we have taken in improving the way those with opioid use disorder are engaged and retained on treatment in BC today. I am confident the participants are taking with them a wealth of knowledge and quality improvement experience.”
The BOOST Collaborative’s closing conference will take place on 21 November 2019, where the final results of the project will be presented.