Buffalo MATTERS Network

Built on the public health model of prevention and treatment, this network partners with community-based substance abuse treatment programs and local hospitals to increase access to buprenorphine-based opiate use disorder treatment for the citizens of Western New York.

In 2016, the Jacobs School's Department of Emergency Medicine, in combination with UB|MD Emergency Medicine, set out to decrease opioid prescribing in their emergency departments. Guidelines were established for patients and prescribers for appropriate opioid prescribing.

To ensure consistency across the region, these documents were endorsed by every major health system and urgent care organization in Western New York. Between 2015 to 2018, the emergency departments of the major academic health centers in Buffalo saw a decrease of more than 50% in opioid prescribing.

Increasing Access to Treatment

The Buffalo MATTERS Network aims to:

  • aid patients in initiating and continuing successful opiate use disorder treatment
  • reduce morbidity and mortality associated with opiate use disorder in Western New York
  • provide a best practice model for Emergency Department Initiated Buprenorphine Programs
  • provide the same high level of care to patients suffering from opiate use disorder that is provided for any other emergency medical condition
Buffalo MATTERS