RANDOLPH, VT — Gifford Health Care is expanding access to medications for opioid use disorder by making Sublocade® — a long-acting injectable form of buprenorphine — available 24/7 through both its Emergency Department and inpatient unit. According to Gifford’s Addiction Medicine team, Gifford is currently the only hospital in Vermont offering Sublocade initiation in the Emergency Department.
Sublocade is a once-monthly injection used to treat opioid use disorder. Unlike traditional daily buprenorphine medications such as Suboxone®, Sublocade slowly releases medication into the bloodstream over four weeks, eliminating the need for daily dosing.
“In addiction medicine, one of the most important aspects of treatment is accessibility — being available in the moment a patient is ready to make a change,” said Roz Vara-Good, Nurse Practitioner in Addiction Medicine at Gifford. “By offering Sublocade in the emergency department, we can provide life-saving care 24 hours a day, seven days a week.”
Previously, Sublocade had only been available through outpatient addiction clinics and was ordered individually for patients. Gifford now stocks the medication in-house, allowing emergency and inpatient teams to begin treatment immediately for eligible patients experiencing opioid withdrawal or seeking recovery support.
Patients receiving Sublocade no longer need to remember to take medication daily, travel regularly to a pharmacy, or manage concerns about lost, stolen, or diverted medication. Providers say many patients also report feeling more stable and experiencing fewer withdrawal symptoms because the medication level remains steady throughout the month.
“One randomized trial showed that patients receiving long-acting injectable treatment reported higher treatment satisfaction, reduced treatment burden, improved quality of life, and fewer pharmacy visits,” Roz Vara-Good said. “Studies have also shown greater protection against overdose compared to daily medication treatment.”
“Addiction, like other chronic illnesses, is a treatable disease and we have extremely effective, evidence-based treatments available,” Roz Vara-Good added. “We just need to make those treatments easier to access than drugs.”
Emergency Department and inpatient providers work collaboratively with nursing, pharmacy, and outpatient addiction services to assess whether patients are good candidates for treatment. Eligible patients who are not already taking buprenorphine first receive a test dose of Suboxone to ensure tolerability before receiving the injection. Follow-up care is then coordinated either through Gifford’s Addiction Medicine program or another treatment provider chosen by the patient.
Gifford currently supports approximately 40 patients on Sublocade through its outpatient clinic. Roz Vara-Good says patient feedback has been overwhelmingly positive.
“I haven’t had a single patient switch to Sublocade and want to go back to daily dosing,” she said. “Patients tell me they wake up and simply feel normal. They describe having more mental space to focus on work, family, and recovery instead of constantly thinking about medication schedules or withdrawal symptoms.”
The expansion reflects Gifford’s continued commitment to evidence-based, patient-centered addiction treatment in rural Vermont.
“I’m really proud that Gifford is leading this work in Vermont,” Roz Vara-Good said. “Our addiction medicine program continues to advocate for compassionate, evidence-based care for people struggling with substance use disorders throughout our hospital and clinic settings.”
No referral is necessary to access Addiction Medicine services at Gifford. Anyone interested in learning more about treatment options or scheduling an appointment may call 802-728-7744.
For more information about Addiction Medicine services at Gifford, visit Gifford Health Care Addiction Medicine Services.
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Gifford is a community hospital in Randolph, VT., with family health centers in Berlin, Bethel, Chelsea, Randolph, and Rochester; and specialty services throughout central Vermont. A Federally Qualified Health Center and a Top 100 Critical Access Hospital in the country, Gifford is a full-service hospital with a 24-hour emergency department and inpatient unit; many surgical services; daycare; an adult day program; and a 30-bed nursing home. The Birthing Center, established in 1977, was the first in Vermont to offer an alternative to traditional hospital-based deliveries and continues to be a leader in midwifery and family-centered care. As a community health center and medical home, Gifford’s mission is to improve and manage the health of the people we serve by providing and assuring access to affordable, high-quality health care, and by promoting the health and well-being of everyone in our service area.
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