Center for Addiction Treatment

Joseph Zegar, Summer 2019

At the Center for Addiction Treatment (CAT), I was able to work directly with the healthcare professionals seeking an end to addiction in Cincinnati. While the opioid addiction is certainly a main focus, patients at CAT also suffer from addictions to alcohol, heroin, cocaine, amphetamines, and other substances. The programs offered at CAT, such as inpatient detox, Suboxone therapy, and counseling, all approach addiction from the mindset that it is a disease that needs medical treatment for a patient to succeed. Throughout the summer, I was able to work with these patients and gain a deeper understanding for what addiction looks like and how the road to recovery can be both inspiring and exceedingly difficult.

A majority of my time at CAT was spent focusing on hepatitis A and B vaccinations for the patients. Many people battling addiction are at an increased risk for hepatitis, so finding ways to protect them is important to decrease the chance of liver complications that may follow an infection. Each day, I reviewed new lab results and identified patients that were not yet immune to hepatitis A and B. These patients were educated about the vaccine, and I explained how it could benefit them. For anyone willing, patients could begin vaccination at that time. I also spent time tracking the vaccination status of patients to better understand how many patients at CAT could benefit from vaccination and how many were exposed to hepatitis already. This information will aid CAT in continuing their hepatitis A and B vaccination program and may even provide justification for expansion to additional vaccines. During the summer, I was also able to perform histories and physicals, observe outpatient treatment in the Suboxone clinic, and give a presentation on Narcan to families with a loved one fighting opioid addiction.

Deciding to become involved with the Urban Health Project and CAT this summer was a great decision for my personal growth and my development as a future physician. Being able to work directly with patients suffering from addiction allows me to have a deeper understanding of the challenges they face. This experience has helped me to develop more empathy for patients in this situation and remember that addiction is a disease that required the compassion and understanding of a physician in order for a patient to get better. As I prepare to return to classes, I am grateful that I had the chance to apply some of my clinical knowledge and work with patients in a meaningful way.

Download Joseph's poster (.pptx)