Because successful outcomes often depend on a patient staying in treatment long enough to reap the full benefits of rehabilitation, strategies for keeping people in treatment are critical. Whether a patient stays in rehab depends on factors associated with both the individual and the program. Individual factors related to engagement and retention typically include motivation to change the behavior of using drugs, the degree of support a patient receives from family and friends and outside pressure from the criminal justice system, child protection services or employers. Within a treatment program, successful clinicians can establish a positive, therapeutic relationship with patients. The clinician develops, implements and monitors a treatment plan for each patient. Medical, psychiatric and social services are also available. Whether a patient stays in treatment depends on factors related to both the individual and the program. Some problems such as serious medical or mental illness or criminal involvement increase the likelihood of patients dropping out of treatment. Some patients require intensive interventions to stay in rehab. After a course of intensive treatment, the caregiver transitions the patient to a less intensive continuing care facility to support and monitor an individual in ongoing recovery.

Executive Medicine

Executive Medicine doctors and physician groups are coming together to customize health programs for groups of executives and independent businesses with an objective of reducing the lost productivity time. At the core of many Executive Healthcare packages is an Executive Physical. In many instances, the doctor will travel to company facilities in order to perform a basic physical for all executive members. In others, as in the case of Elite IPA, the office visit is an option, but executives are given the benefit of in-depth diagnostic treatment, which allows for an even more in-depth analysis of their health than what is typical. This level of physical, given at a time that is convenient for the executive, is to have a positive impact on the bottom line. The average wait to see a physician is 68 minutes. There is no wait with the IPA Health associates for executives. IPA works around the schedule. Nor does IPA rush the visit. The visit is complete only when all of the concerns and questions answered. For those who prefer to communicate in writing, IPA is only an e-mail away. IPA physicians travel with hand-held e-mail devices around the clock for quick response. Of course there are times when one just wants to speak directly with the doctor on the telephone.One of the first things given to a new patient is the doctor’s personal cell phone number. Wherever business or pleasure takes you, IPA is just a phone call away. Turn to IPA’s Executive Medicine for a complete executive physical that looks at the health from all angles. True health and wellness are only achieved when there is a good understanding of the family history, personal medical history. IPA offers the latest in both non-invasive and blood-based cardiovascular screening testing. For early cancer detection, there may be reason to consider modern scanning approaches, including the PET technology. The integration of state-of-the-art cancer detection approach is a major feature of the program, as is ready access to leading specialists for preventive consultations.

Treatment Medications

Medications can be an important component of effective drug abuse treatment for offenders. By allowing the body to function normally, prescription medications enable the addict to leave behind a life of crime and drug abuse. For example, opioid agonist and partial agonist medications, which act at the same receptors as heroin, morphine and natural brain endorphins, are effective at helping an individual remain in treatment. Antagonist medications, which work by blocking the effects of a drug, are effective but patients do not often take the drugs regularly. Despite evidence of the effectiveness of medicines, doctors prescribe addiction medications but patients underutilize them in the treatment of drug abusers within the criminal justice system. Still, some jurisdictions have found ways to successfully implement medication therapy for drug abusing offenders.

Opiates Heroin

Long term opiate abuse results in a desensitization of the opiate receptors to endorphins in the brain. Endorphins are natural opioids in the body. Methadone acts on the same receptors as the natural endorphins, stabilizing the craving that otherwise results in compulsive use of heroin or other illicit opiates. Methadone effectively reduces opiate use, criminal behavior related to drugs and risky HIV behaviors. Buprenorphine is a partial agonist and acts on the same receptors as morphine, a full agonist, but without producing the same level of dependence or withdrawal symptoms. Suboxone® is a unique formulation of buprenorphine that contains naloxone, an opioid antagonist, which limits diversion by causing severe withdrawal symptoms in those who inject it to get high, but has no adverse effects when taken orally, as prescribed. Naltrexone, an opiate antagonist, blocks the effects of opiates.