Screening or toxicology
A positive validated screen or toxicology result can be a reason to look further. A screen is not a diagnosis.
For healthcare professionals and partners
Addiction-medicine expertise without losing continuity of care.
Your patient stays with you. BBAMS adds specialty addiction-medicine assessment, peer engagement, treatment support, and coordination while preserving the relationship with the clinician and care team who already know the patient.
When to contact BBAMS
A meaningful concern is enough to begin.
Clinical concern
Concerning substance or medication use, overdose, withdrawal, pregnancy or postpartum concerns, or repeated encounters without an effective plan.
Specialty guidance
Complex medication questions, pain-management concerns in a patient with substance-use disorder, specialty assessment, or level-of-care guidance.
Make a supportive offer
Invite, explain, and ask.
“This does not diagnose anything, but it suggests that talking with someone who specializes in this may be helpful.”
“Would you be willing to talk with someone who specializes in addiction medicine?”
Outpatient and partner referral
A practical pathway that keeps the relationship intact.
1
Concern
Identify a clinically meaningful concern.
2
Supportive offer
Explain the value of specialty support.
3
Warm connection
Connect while the patient is engaged when feasible.
4
Peer engagement
Begin with connection and practical support.
5
Clinical assessment
Clarify needs and appropriate options.
6
Plan and feedback
Coordinate next steps with the referring clinician where appropriate.
What BBAMS manages
Specialty support around the patient.
- Peer engagement
- Comprehensive addiction-medicine assessment
- Treatment and medication management when clinically indicated
- Care coordination and bridge care
- Level-of-care planning
- Longitudinal follow-up
- Measurement and feedback
What comes back
Useful information for continued care.
- Actionable recommendations
- A coordinated treatment plan
- Relevant clinical communication
- Follow-up information where appropriate
- Pregnancy or postpartum guidance when relevant
- Pain-management guidance when relevant
Consultation settings
Different settings need different pathways.
Outpatient and partner referral
Primary care, OB/GYN, behavioral health, community treatment organizations, and other healthcare partners may connect patients for specialty assessment and support. Operational workflows are developed with each partner.
OB/GYN clinic referral
The OB/GYN practice remains the medical home. BBAMS adds perinatal addiction-medicine expertise, peer engagement, pregnancy and postpartum planning, coordination, and recommendations where clinically relevant.
Your patient stays with you. We take the addiction-medicine lift for you, not from you.
Labor and delivery
Addiction-medicine support during labor, delivery, and postpartum care may include assessment, medication and withdrawal-risk guidance, pain-management planning, discharge planning, and continuity of care.
Hospital consultation pathways are developed with participating facilities.
Emergency department
A clearer next step after an acute substance-related visit may include peer engagement, specialty assessment, treatment or bridge planning when clinically indicated, level-of-care planning, and outpatient follow-up.
Other inpatient care
Specialty addiction-medicine support during hospitalization may include assessment, withdrawal and medication guidance, peer engagement, coordination with the inpatient team, and discharge-transition planning.
Behavioral health
BBAMS focuses on addiction medicine and may collaborate with behavioral-health teams when substance use is part of the clinical picture. It is not a replacement for general psychiatry or specialty psychiatric services.
Additional partner pathways
Connection can begin in the community.
EMS, public safety, and emergency response
Emergency responders, mobile crisis partners, fire services, law enforcement, and other public-safety partners may help someone move from an acute encounter toward specialty addiction-medicine assessment and ongoing care. Exact operational pathways depend on approved local partnerships.
SAFE and justice-system pathways
BBAMS may support an approved connection from justice-system settings to assessment, treatment planning, and continuity of care. Program details, eligibility, and operating procedures depend on verified partner agreements.
Refer or request a consult
Make the connection while the patient is engaged.
Do not send protected health information by ordinary email. Call BBAMS to begin a public-facing connection and confirm the appropriate next step.
Professional resources
Continue to practical guidance for screening, referral, warm connection, and coordinated care.