Issue link: https://kusm-wichita.uberflip.com/i/1530178
8 Daniel Warren, M.D., physician Fellowship on way Another of the county's specialists, Ashley Haynes, M.D., is helping develop the fellowship program. Fellows likely will rotate among several recovery centers, an opioid treatment clinic and community providers such as Comcare, as well as the VA during their year in the program, Haynes said. Haynes said addiction medicine is evolving much as other specialties did. It has become a board-certified specialty requiring a fellowship in the past decade, whereas previously a physician could become certified after amassing experience in the field. Haynes, who did her fellowship in toxicology, was drawn to addiction medicine after seeing eects of the 'Be the LIGHT' PPTA has produced and distributed a short video built around the idea that physicians can be the "LIGHT" for people with a substance use disorder. LIGHT stands for language, intervention, guidance, help and treatment. Also as part of PPTA, Dan Warren, M.D., one of the county's addiction medicine specialists, and Chad Harmon, CEO of Substance Abuse Center of Kansas, have made presentations to members of the medical community, usually with the help of someone recovering from substance use disorder. Ablah called the county's lack of addiction medicine specialists "really a problem" and one the grant will help address. Treatment could range from medication to prevent opioid cravings to "motivational intervening" and "harm reduction" remedies that Ablah called a "bold act." For instance, she said, a physician might suggest to a patient that "instead of drinking five liters of vodka a day, how about a 12-pack?" PPTA also encourages physicians to change the way they may talk and think about substance use. On a webpage set up for the program, physicians are encouraged to use "person-first, medically appropriate language" in this area. For instance, instead of thinking of and/or referring to a patient as an "abuser," "addict" or "substance abuser," physicians should refer to the patient as a "person with a substance use disorder." board-certified addiction medicine specialists in Sedwick County 4 Statistic from NCDAS (2023). drugabusestatistics.org 50% of people 12+ have used illicit drugs at least once.