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Topic: Treatment

Tobacco Use and Smoking Cessation Among People with Substance Use Disorders: A Summary of the State of the Science and New Evidence from Nevada

Over 80% of people with substance use disorders (SUDs), including opioid use disorder (OUD), smoke cigarettes. While smoking prevalence has decreased in the general population, it remains stubbornly high among people with opioid use disorder (OUD) and other substance use disorders (SUDs). Evidence suggests that conventional smoking cessation treatments are not as successful for people with SUDs as they are in the general population. This training will present the most recent epidemiology on smoking and use of cessation aids among people with SUDs, summarize the state of the science concerning smoking cessation treatment in this population, and present new data from Nevada on a smoking harm minimization intervention using e-cigarettes.

Brief: Tobacco and Opioids

The brief explores the connection between tobacco use and opioid addiction, highlighting how smoking may increase the risk of opioid misuse and how addressing tobacco dependence can improve substance use recovery outcomes. It emphasizes the need for integrated treatment approaches in substance use disorder programs, including tobacco cessation interventions, to enhance recovery success. The document also outlines policy and healthcare strategies to support dual cessation efforts, such as insurance coverage, clinical screening, staff training, and tobacco-free campus policies.

How HIPAA Allows Doctors to Respond to the Opioid Crisis

This resource explains how HIPAA allows healthcare professionals to share health information with a patient’s loved ones during emergencies or dangerous situations, such as an opioid overdose, when doing so is in the patient’s best interest. It clarifies that health providers can disclose information to family and caregivers without patient consent if the patient is incapacitated or poses a serious and imminent threat to their health. Additionally, it outlines limitations on sharing information for patients who have decision-making capacity and recognizes state laws regarding personal representatives who have authority over a patient’s health information.

How HIPAA Helps Family and Friends Stay Connected with Loved Ones Who Have a Substance Use Disorder, including Opioid Abuse, or a Mental or Behavioral Health Condition 

This resource explains how HIPAA allows healthcare providers to share necessary health information with family and friends of individuals with substance use disorders (including opioid abuse) or mental health conditions when it is in the patient’s best interest. It outlines how providers can notify loved ones in emergencies, share relevant treatment details for caregiving purposes, and grant full access to personal representatives who have legal decision-making authority.

When can I obtain treatment information about my loved one? (decision chart)

The HIPAA Decision Tree for Adult Patients is a guide that helps determine when a healthcare provider can share treatment information about an adult patient under HIPAA regulations, based on factors such as the patient’s decision-making ability, the requester’s role in their care, and potential risks to the patient.