SHM Converge Scientific Abstract ePoster Gallery-Fit for a Kit: A Hospital-Based, Student-Led Harm Reduction Group

Pdf Summary

This poster describes “Fit For a Kit,” a hospital-based, medical student-led harm reduction initiative at Mount Sinai focused on preventing opioid-related deaths by distributing naloxone and providing bedside education to inpatients at high risk for overdose.<br /><br />The program was built on the idea that hospitalization is an important opportunity to intervene before discharge. Patients were identified through direct referrals from care teams and daily electronic medical record reports. Those flagged as high-risk were added to a shared training list. Students then contacted attending physicians at least 48 hours before discharge for approval. If approved, the attending ordered a naloxone kit from the hospital pharmacy, and a student reviewed naloxone administration with the patient at bedside before leaving the kit with them. Training dates and medical record numbers were tracked in a secure shared document.<br /><br />Between January 2021 and November 2022, 143 patients were identified. Of these, 76 received naloxone kits and training. Others were excluded because the attending denied training (25), the patient was discharged before training could occur (32), or the patient declined training (10). The project demonstrates that a student-led inpatient harm reduction workflow is feasible and can be integrated into routine hospital care.<br /><br />The authors conclude that hospitalization can serve as an effective moment for opioid overdose prevention and that this program provides proof of principle for student-led harm reduction efforts. Future directions include continuing to educate hospital staff and expanding the program’s reach.<br /><br />Acknowledgements include the Harm Reduction and Addiction Medicine Interest Group at ISMMS, the REACH Program, the Department of Pharmacy at Mount Sinai, and the New York City Department of Health.

Asset Subtitle

Michael Herscher

Meta Tag

Author List Brian Johnson, Esther Kim, Ethan Gomez, Jaskiran Dhinsa, Linda Wang, Michael Herscher, Supriya Makam

Category Innovations

Concept Naloxone Training

Concept High-Risk Hospitalized Patient

Concept Harm Reduction

Concept Naloxone Kit

Concept Opioid Overdose Prevention

Distinguished Finalist

Presenter Organization Mount Sinai Hospital

Presenting Author Michael Herscher

Track Patient Safety

Keywords

naloxone

harm reduction

opioid overdose prevention

hospital-based intervention

medical student-led

inpatient education

Mount Sinai

discharge planning

addiction medicine

patient training

Naloxone Training

High-Risk Hospitalized Patient

Harm Reduction

Naloxone Kit

Opioid Overdose Prevention