CHIME Opioid Action Center Podcast

About CHIME Opioid Action Center Podcast

The opioid epidemic continues to devastate communities and families throughout the nation and is a tremendous strain on the U.S. healthcare system. The CHIME Opioid Task Force works to leverage members’ unique insights and provide education and resources to address the ongoing crisis in the larger healthcare ecosystem. This podcast shares the stories of those heroes in healthcare who are working to build awareness and fight the battle against the opioid epidemic. Learn more about the work of the task force by visiting https://opioidactioncenter.com/.

Publisher

CHIME Opioid Action Center

Category

technology

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

3 Mar 2021

Latest episode

7 Oct 2025

Latest episodes

53 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   7 Oct 2025

   How Mass General Brigham is Using IT to Address Substance Use Disorders at a Systems Level

   In this episode, Moderator Dr. Scott Weiner learns how Dr. Sarah E. Wakeman’s innovative role unites diverse stakeholders to change both culture and practice in SUD care. We explore best practices for medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD), the development of unified IT tools, and the fine balance between clinical support and alert fatigue. Dr. Wakeman highlights the importance of data and quality dashboards, plus how Medicaid and state funding are leveraged to sustain impactful initiatives. The episode offers practical inspiration, showing how collaboration and the right incentives can drive value—and save lives. What You'll Learn Strategies for building system-wide, holistic SUD initiatives. How to engage stakeholders across health systems, from clinicians to IT to state agencies. Best practices for developing and updating MOUD order sets. Approaches to increasing provider comfort with life-saving opioid treatments. The balance of clinical decision support and alert fatigue. The role of data dashboards in tracking SUD outcomes and quality measures. How to leverage Medicaid and state funds to support and expand treatment resources. Insights into risk contracts, funding streams, and statewide efforts to prevent overdose deaths. Why this challenging work is both challenging and rewarding! MODERATOR: Scott Weiner, MD, MPH, FAAEM, FACEP, FASAM Emergency and Addiction Medicine Physician, Brigham and Women’s Hospital Associate Professor, Harvard Medical School Dr. Weiner is the McGraw Distinguished Chair in the Department of Emergency Medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital and an Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine at Harvard Medical School. He is board-certified in emergency medicine and addiction medicine. He is an active researcher, working on multiple projects that focus on prevention and treatment of opioid use disorder. GUEST: Sarah Elizabeth Wakeman, MD Medical Director for Substance Use Disorder at Mass General Brigham Medical Director for the Mass General Hospital Substance Use Disorder Initiative Program director of the Mass General Addiction Medicine fellowship Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School Sarah E. Wakeman, MD is the Senior Medical Director for Substance Use Disorder at Mass General Brigham in the Office of the Chief Medical Officer, Medical Director for the Mass General Hospital Program for Substance Use & Addiction Services, Program Director of the Mass General Addiction Medicine fellowship, and an Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. She received her A.B. from Brown University and her M.D. from Brown Medical School. She completed residency training in internal medicine and served as Chief Medical Resident at Mass General Hospital. She is a diplomate and fellow of the American Board of Addiction Medicine and board certified in Addiction Medicine by the American Board of Preventive Medicine. Clinically she provides specialty addiction and general medical care in the inpatient and outpatient setting at Mass General Hospital and the Mass General Charlestown Health Center. Her research interests include integrated substance use disorder treatment in general medical settings, low threshold treatment models, and opioid use disorder treatment.

2. 

   27 Aug 2025

   Beyond the Clinic: How Portable Tech is Expanding Methadone Access

   In this episode of the CHIME Opioid Action Center podcast, moderator Ed Kopetsky sits down with Dr. Tom Mercolino and Jim McLean from Verinetics to discuss their DispenSecur™ portable methadone dispensing system. Designed to meet patients wherever they are, this “clinic in a box” empowers individuals with Opioid Use Disorder to access treatment securely and privately, outside traditional clinic walls. Learn how this innovative technology is breaking down barriers, supporting providers, and paving the way for more holistic and accessible addiction care. What You’ll Learn: How portable medication dispensing systems like DispenSecur™ are expanding access to methadone treatment for Opioid Use Disorder. The technology and security features behind the “clinic in a box” solution that balances patient privacy with provider confidence. The impact of stigma on OUD treatment and how holistic, tech-driven approaches can improve patient outcomes. Challenges and successes in piloting new treatment technologies, and how patient feedback is shaping commercial adoption. Opportunities and barriers to integrating portable medication technology with broader healthcare IT and clinical workflows. Lessons learned from real-world implementation—and ideas for expanding this model to other medications and patient populations. MODERATOR: Ed Kopetsky, Founder and Co-Chair, CHIME Opioid Task Force Ed Kopetsky, former Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer of Stanford Children’s Health, is an accomplished healthcare executive with expertise in integrated healthcare systems, information technology, operations and cost improvement, digital transformation and consulting. Following a family tragedy, in 2018 Ed co-founded and has co-chaired the CHIME Opioid Task Force helping healthcare organizations confront the national opioid crisis. GUEST: Dr. Tom Mercolino, PhD, Founder and Executive Chairman, Verinetics, Inc. With more than 25 years of experience as a senior manager in Fortune 100 R&D groups, Dr. Mercolino has taken technology commercialization expertise to the next level at Verinetics. His passion for supporting individuals with Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) has been a major driver behind the development of DispenSecur™™ and its successful commercialization. GUEST: Jim McLean, MBA, Chief Technology Officer, Verinetics, Inc. Mr. McLean has over 30 years in senior management roles with Fortune 500 and startup organizations, where his particular focus has been the design and successful implementation of creative technology solutions for complex operational challenges. His experience as a team builder in information systems/technology, engineering, sales, and professional services is key to the commercial success of the DispenSecur™™ platform.

3. 

   5 Aug 2025

   How Technology Helped Cut Overdose Deaths by 47% in Carteret County NC

   Carteret County, NC, faced a soaring overdose crisis, exacerbated by its status as a seasonal beach destination. In this episode, the Public Health Director for Carteret County, and COO of Goldie Health, share how forming a tech-enabled post-overdose response team slashed overdose deaths by nearly half. Discover the barriers Carteret overcame, the critical role lived-experience peer support specialists played, and how the county leveraged tech to streamline care coordination and analytics. Tune in for an in-depth look at a community-led innovation making a measurable impact against the opioid epidemic. What You’ll Learn: How the Carteret County post-overdose response team (PORT) is organized and operates The role of certified peer support specialists with lived experience How real-time alerts and referrals connect overdose survivors with support quickly The drastic improvements in overdose outcomes, including a 47% drop in deaths and 87% drop in EMS calls Ways technology—specifically, the Goldie tech platform—streamlines response, tracks engagement, and supports data-driven decisions How Goldie enables referrals for addiction treatment, housing, food, and other critical resources Lessons learned in implementing care management technology at the local level MODERATOR: Tom Liddell, CEO, Harmony Health IT Tom Liddell leads with a core belief: that data and automation, when harnessed with purpose, can revolutionize healthcare and profoundly improve the lives of those it serves. With over 35 years of experience in healthcare IT, he brings transformative leadership and a passion for innovation to Harmony Healthcare IT. He began his career as President and Co-Founder of SMI, a healthcare technology firm that became part of the publicly traded Medical Manager Corp. He later held senior executive roles at WebMD, where he led the development and launch of integrated financial systems and electronic health records. Tom has also led the successful operation of a health information exchange and served as Chief Information Officer for a regional reference laboratory, blood bank, and pathology organization In these roles, he pioneered innovative solutions for data integration, interoperability, and clinical efficiency—further deepening his expertise in healthcare infrastructure and automation. At Harmony Healthcare IT, Tom is known for championing innovation, collaboration, and a customer-first mindset. His enduring passion for a complete, quality-driven experience continues to shape the company’s reputation as a trusted leader in healthcare data management. GUEST: Matthew E. Hanis, COO & Cofounder, Goldie Health Matt Hanis is a leading expert in the business of healthcare. He is the chief operating officer of Goldie Health, a life-saving overdose detection and case management platform. A former health system executive, he has grown health tech businesses across payer, provider, life sciences, and government. His passion is growing organizations proven to elevate healthcare mission and margin. GUEST: Nina M. Oliver, Public Health Director; Carteret County Health Department Nina Oliver has enjoyed 22 years of providing public health work. She currently serves as the Consolidated Health and Human Services Deputy Director and Public Health Director for Carteret County. As a public health director her priorities and interests include substance use prevention, mental and emotional health and wellness for all, minority health, and creating equitable dental care specifically in low-income populations and pregnant women. Nina graduated from Guildford College in Greensboro with a Bachelors in Psychology and African American Studies. She received her Masters from UNC Charlotte in Health Promotion with a focus in Substance Use Prevention. Nina lives in Morehead City with her 13-year-old son Chase and 5-year-old daughter, Charlie. They love going to the beach, watching sports, and trying new foods.

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Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.