OPTIONS Referral Program for Liaisons
Maine EMS has developed a process by which EMS clinicians will be able to generate a referral for patients experiencing substance use issues to the Maine OPTIONS program. This document explains how the referral process works from the perspective of an EMS clinician documenting the patient encounter.
There are two starting points that will allow an EMS clinician to generate a referral, impressions, and medications.
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The first starting point is the narrative panel, where the clinician must document one of the following as a primary or secondary impression
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- Tox - Alcohol use (F10.9)
- Tox - Alcohol use - with intoxication (F10.92)
- Tox - Alcohol Use - withdrawal (F10.239)
- Tox - Cannabis use (F12.9)
- Tox - Cocaine Use/abuse (F14)
- Tox - Hallucinogen use (F16.9)
- Tox - Inhalant related disorders (F18)
- Tox - Opioid use - with Coma (F11.92)
- Tox - Opioid use - without Coma (F11.9)
- Tox - Overdose/Drug Ingestion (Non Opioid) (itICD.047)
- Tox - Psychoactive substance related disorders (F19)
- Tox - Psychoactive substance use (F19.9)
- Tox - Sedative or hypnotic use (F13.9)
- Tox - Sedative/hypnotic Use/Abuse (F13)
- Tox - Stimulant related disorder (F15)
- Tox - Tricyclic antidepressants Overdose (T43.014)
- The second starting point is by documenting the administration of naloxone as a medication given, regardless of whether it is given by EMS or prior to arrival.
Once the clinician documents a referral, a file is generated and placed into a folder on the Maine EMS SharePoint site containing contact information for the patient. The folders are for specific counties within Maine and only authorized users are able to access the folders. The unauthorized users will also receive an email notification that a new referral file exists.
We ask that when you access this file that you click the acknowledge button so that we will know that you have received the referral. You may also click the contacted button when you have made contact with the patient or the attempted contact button to indicate contact has been attempted. Referrals that are not acknowledged will result in daily email reminders being sent.
If you are a liaison and have questions or issues connecting to a referral folder or file, please either; submit a ticket in this support system with a category of Substance Use Programming, or send an Email to maineems.sud@Maine.gov
In either case please provide your name, the county folder you are attempting to access, and any other pertinent details.