Netsmart & American Society of Addiction Medicine: Partnership to Integrate ASAM Continuum System

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. - Nov. 15, 2021 - PRLog -- Netsmart, an industry-leading provider of healthcare technology solutions and services, announced a partnership with the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) to integrate the ASAM CONTINUUM™ and ASAM CO-Triage® assessment tools within the Netsmart electronic health record (EHR) platform. This will improve the accessibility and quality of care for individuals with addiction and co-occurring disorders across the nation.

"Our partnership with ASAM demonstrates our commitment to serving and supporting the complex needs of individuals served by our clients," said Netsmart SVP & Managing Director of Human Services David Strocchia. "By using evidence-based treatment tools, we can leverage technology to help overcome healthcare challenges and strengthen our focus on the full spectrum of care, including addiction treatment and behavioral health."

ASAM CONTINUUM is an electronic assessment tool that allows clinicians, counselors and other staff to leverage a computerized clinical decision support system (CDSS) to assess individuals with addictive, substance-related disorders and co-occurring conditions. The computer-guided, structured interview guides interviewers through a whole-person comprehensive assessment aligned with the six dimensions of The ASAM Criteria® to determine service planning, transfer recommendations and treatment across all levels of care.

The ASAM CONTINUUM is integrated as part of the clinical workflow within the Netsmart CareFabric (https://www.ntst.com/CareFabric)® platform to meet the unique requirements for human services, including addiction treatment, behavioral health and physical health.

"Netsmart (https://www.ntst.com/) is one of the top electronic health record providers for addiction treatment and behavioral health practice management," said William F. Haning, III, MD, DLFAPA, DFASAM, president of ASAM. "We look forward to this partnership. Integration with the ASAM CONTINUUM will expand provider access to an evidence-based, multidimensional assessment, supporting individualized placement and comprehensive treatment planning."

The ASAM CO-Triage screener, a quick referral tool for alcohol and drug use, will supplement the partnership solution integration by providing a preliminary level of care recommendation. CO-Triage provides a 21-question guide for substance use, major medical and psychological conditions, adhering to The ASAM Criteria dimensions. It's used by call centers, crisis units, court coordinators, law enforcement and first responders.

"With the ASAM CONTINUUM, patients can receive a standardized, high quality evidence-based interview assessment and decision analysis," explained David R. Gastfriend, MD, DFASAM, Chief Architect of the ASAM CONTINUUM." In a national opioid epidemic, more and more states are adopting these tools. With it, patients and families can be assured that they will receive a comprehensive, patient-centered, science-based determination of needs and strengths. Payers will receive objective level of care recommendations for optimal clinical outcomes with the least intensive use of resources. In addition, large systems will receive the most clinically detailed data possible for evaluation, service planning and quality improvement. This new partnership will bring advanced technology to bear on America's addiction crisis."