NAEMSP/Prodigy Town Hall: The Essential Role of EMS in Addiction Medicine

July 5, 2023

Every day, EMS encounters patients in crisis from opioid use disorder.  Communities rely upon EMS to be the safety net and also the bridge and connection for patients to receive appropriate care. In this webinar, Jose Cabanas, MD, MPH, FAEMS and Melody Glenn, MD, MFA, FASAM discuss the crucial roles of EMS in addiction medicine.  EMS is moving itself into a new area of influence where we collaborate with community resources as the frontline providers.  We have the opportunity to save lives and do a tremendous amount of good with patients who use drugs.

Melody Glenn, MD, MFA, FASAM

Melody Glenn is a triple-boarded addiction, emergency, and emergency medical services (EMS) physician and assistant professor at the University of Arizona College of Medicine in Tucson.  She is the base hospital medical director at Banner/UA Tucson, serving as the medical director for several fire departments in the rural borderlands of Southern Arizona, and the Director of the Addiction Medicine Liaison Consult Service at BUMC-T and BUMC-S.}


Jose Cabanas, MD, MPH, FAEMS

José G Cabañas, MD, MPH, FAEMS serves as the Chief Medical Officer for Wake County Government. He is an experienced, board-certified emergency medical services and emergency medicine physician with expertise in patient-centered systems of care and population health. As Chief Medical Officer, he provides executive leadership to ensure integration and coordination across Wake County programs and services that support the community’s health and safety.

Dr. Cabañas works with community partners to build stronger connections to promote clinical excellence and improve vulnerable patients’ access to care. As Chief Medical Officer, he also serves as the Medical Director for Wake County EMS System. He provides vision, direction and medical oversight for the Wake County EMS System.

Dr. Cabañas is also a researcher, educator and national leader in EMS. He currently serves as the President of the Board of Directors of the National Association of EMS Physicians.

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