Spokane Hospital Cuts Overdose Cycles With 5-Day Injection
A new medication at Deaconess Hospital gives overdose survivors five days of relief from cravings and withdrawal, creating a critical window to connect with long-term treatment. Since February, the pilot has helped patients stabilize faster and return to the ER less often.
When someone survives an overdose, the hours and days that follow can mean the difference between recovery and relapse.
MultiCare Deaconess Hospital in Spokane launched a pilot program in February 2025 that's changing what happens in those crucial first days. Instead of sending patients home with daily pills, the hospital now offers a single injection of buprenorphine that lasts up to five days.
The medication reduces cravings and prevents withdrawal symptoms without requiring patients to remember daily doses. For people facing unstable housing, limited transportation, or the chaos of addiction, that five-day window removes a major barrier.
"We're seeing patients stabilize sooner, engage in treatment more consistently and cycle through crisis care in the emergency department less often," says Sara Welty, nurse care manager at Deaconess.
Spokane County has recorded roughly 700 overdose deaths over the past two years, most of them accidental. Against that backdrop, every intervention matters.
The hospital has administered the long-acting medication 19 times since the program began, including to patients who arrived in overdose. Care teams have had conversations with dozens more people about the option, though not everyone feels ready on their first visit.
The Ripple Effect
Even when patients aren't ready to start the medication, those conversations plant seeds for future recovery. Welty emphasizes that readiness builds through trust, information, and repeated connection.
Before the five-day injection wears off, patients connect with partner clinics across Spokane for continued treatment. These community organizations can provide ongoing care, including monthly versions of the same injectable medication.
The program has already won a 2025 CEO & President's Award at MultiCare for its innovation. The team aims to administer the medication at least five times each month and will reassess after the first year.
Looking ahead, Deaconess hopes to expand the program to women's services and inpatient care, then eventually across the entire MultiCare hospital network. The goal is to reach patients during vulnerable moments when traditional daily medications might not work.
For hospitals nationwide watching the opioid crisis unfold, Spokane is proving that one injection can open doors that pills alone couldn't.
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Based on reporting by Google News - New Treatment
This story was written by BrightWire based on verified news reports.
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