Shared Zone Tools

Want to share something that your Zone, PCN or clinic has done that other groups could benefit from? Send a message to Integration@albertadoctors.org. The products on this page are not developed by the AMA. This page is for sharing great working that could advance practice change or support your primary care team in providing care for patients on opioids.

North Zone

The Patient-At-Risk Pathway supports North Zone primary care physicians and their teams in managing patients that may be at risk of opioid use disorder. The pathway is a resource guide and embedded hyperlinks will lead directly to PCN and local/community specific resources.
Audience: PCN Physicians and thier teams.
Created by: North Zone ORI Project Team (Comprised of the PCN Opioid Response Coordinators)

Edmonton Zone

The Primary Care Clinic Buprenorphine/Naloxone (Suboxone®) Initiation Pathway and Toolkit provides information and tools to support the initiation of buprenorphine/naloxone (Suboxone®) in primary care. The pathway incorporates the PEER evidence-based induction flow within the initiation process and the toolkit includes many practical tools and links to resources. The pathway is also available as a video which can be viewed here.
Audience: Physicians and clinic teams in primary care.
Created by: Edmonton Zone Opioid Response Initiative team, with assistance from a clinical working group made up of physicians and health professionals.

The ODP to Primary Care Transition Pathway provides a visual of the transition process, including roles and responsibilities, as well as links to key resources in order to support successful transition of stable patients from Opioid Dependency Program (ODP) to their family physician in primary care.
Audience: Physicians and clinic teams in primary care and the Opioid Dependency Program.
Created by: Edmonton Zone Opioid Response Initiative team, with assistance from a clinical working group made up of physicians and health professionals.

The Primary Care to Opioid Dependency Program (ODP) Transition Pathway provides a visual of the transition process to refer patients with Opioid Use Disorder to the Alberta Health Services, Opioid Dependency Program. It includes helpful tools for screening, diagnosis, and referral.
Audience: Physicians and clinic teams in primary care and the Opioid Dependency Program.
Created by: Edmonton Zone Opioid Response Initiative team, with assistance from a clinical working group made up of physicians and health professionals.

The Primary Care-Pharmacy Partnerships for Naloxone Kit Distribution Pathway and Toolkit provides information and tools to support primary care physicians and clinic/PCN teams, and community pharmacy teams in the distribution of Naloxone Kits. The pathway provides guidance for health practitioners to provide Naloxone Kits to people using opioids, people using non-opioid substances frequently found to be contaminated with opioids, and friends and family members of people using opioids. The pathway is also available as a video that can be viewed here.

An instructional video on how to use a Naloxone Kit is available for practitioners and the public here.
Audience: Physicians and clinic teams in primary care and community pharmacy teams.
Created by: Edmonton Zone Opioid Response Initiative team, guided by an advisory committee of primary care and community pharmacy practitioners.

The High Impact Changes slide deck showcases the main areas of focus that are considered most critical for a care team to work on to achieve optimal performance in a particular area such as opioids.
Audience: Physicians and quality improvement facilitators in primary care.
Created by: Edmonton Zone Opioid Response Initiative - Edmonton Southside Primary Care Network Opioid Response Coordinators and the College of Physicians and Surgeons in Alberta. 

The MD Snapshot slide deck explains the myths and truths about the tool. It is a self-reflection resource that focuses on education and quality improvement, allowing physicians to improve their practice and enhance patient care through increased prescribing awareness.
Audience: Physicians and quality improvement facilitators in primary care.
Created by: Edmonton Zone Opioid Response Initiative - Edmonton Southside Primary Care Network Opioid Response Coordinators. 

Clinics and Primary Care Networks can select these HUTV videos and slides to run in their waiting rooms. The video features a primary care physician and patient with lived experience talking about managing opioid use in primary care and support from the primary care team. The slides feature five "did you know" information pieces about opioids.
Audience: Patients
Created by: Edmonton Zone Opioid Response Initiative Team

The Methamphetamine Client Transitions to Primary Care Pathways support the transition of care for methamphetamine clients following discharge from a hospital or a detoxification/recovery centre. The Hospital to Primary Care Pathway, and Detoxification/Recovery Centre to Primary Care Pathway are designed to support clients who are already connected to a family physician, nurse practitioner or physician assistant in the community. The Attachment Protocol supports clients with methamphetamine concerns who do not yet have a primary care provider and are interested in finding one. All three pathways include tools, resources, and links to help with the transition.

• Hospital to Primary Care Pathway
• Detoxification/Recovery Centre to Primary Care Pathway
• Attachment Protocol

These pathways are hosted on the Connect MD website and were developed by multidisciplinary teams with representatives from primary care, hospitals, and detoxification/recovery centres. 

The Methamphetamine Clients Transitions to Primary Care project has developed a 45-minute eLearning course; Caring for Clients with Methamphetamine Concerns. It provides a foundational education on methamphetamine use and treatment for primary care and hospital-based providers. The course is designed to help providers feel more comfortable talking about methamphetamine use with clients and providing them with the care and treatment they need. The course aims to help participants:

• Recognize that primary care and hospital-based healthcare providers play an important role in supporting clients with methamphetamine concerns.
• Identify what methamphetamine is and list its short- and long-term effects on the brain and body.
• Recognize the impact of methamphetamine use on mental health.
• Identify treatment options for clients with methamphetamine concerns in various stages of their use.

The Caring for Clients with Methamphetamine Concerns course is available to any health care provider, clients, and the public on the Primary Health Care Learning Portal and to Alberta Health Services providers on My Learning Link. It includes an optional quiz that can be completed to earn a certificate which can be submitted for 0.75 self-learning MainPro+ credits. For more information about the course or the project, please contact methpathways@ewpcn.com.

Audience: Physicians, Clinic Teams, and Quality Improvement Facilitators in primary care.
Created by: The project is funded by the Public Health Agency of Canada's Supporting Pathways to Care for People Who Use Drugs fund. It is led by the Edmonton Zone Primary Care Network, Alberta Health Services, the George Spady Society, Poundmaker's Lodge Treatment Centre, Covenant Health and Alberta Medical Association.