Two new, practical tools are available to help hospital teams improve opioid safety and patient care. Created with input from hospitals across Washington, these resources reflect the health care community’s ongoing work to reduce opioid harm and give clinicians clear guidance when facing tough decisions.
Opioid Tapering Guidance offers clear, patient-focused steps for safely lowering or stopping opioid use when needed. It recognizes that every patient is different and encourages care plans built on shared decisions, trust and open conversations. The framework also includes tips to ease withdrawal symptoms, reduce risks and help patients feel supported every step of the way.
Alongside it, the Naloxone Distribution Guidance gives hospitals simple, practical tools to start or grow naloxone programs. It walks through key steps, tips for setup, and answers to common questions with a clear goal: help care teams put this lifesaving drug into the hands of people at risk of overdose and their loved ones. It focuses on making access easy at discharge and in the community, so patients have what they need when it matters most.
Both resources were developed with clinicians, pharmacists and quality leaders across the state, ensuring they are evidence-based, realistic and actionable for front-line teams.
WSHA encourages healthcare professionals to explore these tools and identify opportunities to integrate them into existing workflows—advancing opioid stewardship and safer care across every setting.
For more information on these guides, contact Brittany Weiner or myself at [email protected] or [email protected].
Sincerely,
Tina Seery
WSHA Senior Director, Clinical Excellence
[email protected]