In this episode, host Dr. Tim Kummer is joined by Holly Drone, EMS Pharmacist, and Jackson Thiets, paramedic and buprenorphine advocate with the Hennepin EMS Bridge Program. Together, they share the journey of implementing a paramedic-driven buprenorphine protocol, the lessons learned from their first year, and how the program has evolved to include holistic post-overdose care. The conversation highlights barriers faced, culture shifts needed in EMS and ED settings, and how moving from judgment to empathy—and empathy to action—can transform care for patients with opioid use disorder.

Learning Objectives

• Describe the development and implementation of a paramedic-driven buprenorphine protocol in a large urban EMS system, including the clinical rationale, training structure, and system-level logistics.
• Identify common barriers to prehospital buprenorphine use—such as stigma, protocol hesitancy, and supply chain issues—and explore practical strategies for overcoming them through clinical leadership and team buy-in.
• Understand the role of interdisciplinary collaboration—between EMS, pharmacists, and peer support specialists—in creating a holistic, post-overdose care model like the Hennepin EMS Bridge Program.
• Recognize how EMS and Emergency Departments can move from judgment-based responses to compassionate, action-oriented care for patients with opioid use disorder, reframing naloxone-only approaches to include long-term treatment initiation.

Host & Guest Bios

1. Host- Dr. Tim Kummer is an Emergency Physician and EMS Medical Director at Hennepin Healthcare, where he leads several initiatives focused on addressing the opioid crisis. He founded the Hennepin Bridge Program, an innovative team that connects patients with opioid use disorder to treatment through ED consults, field buprenorphine inductions, and follow-up care. Dr. Kummer also helped launch one of the first prehospital buprenorphine programs in the country and serves on the National Association of EMS Physicians work group developing national guidance on EMS’s role in the opioid epidemic. His work is grounded in bringing care directly to patients—whether in the field, at home, or in the emergency department—and meeting them where they are on their journey to recovery.
2. Holly Drone, PharmD, is a Clinical Pharmacist at Hennepin Healthcare and Hennepin EMS specializing in emergency medicine and prehospital emergency care. She supports a field-based buprenorphine induction program and co-leads a team of paramedics focused on bridging patients from emergency care to social and addiction medicine services. Her work focuses on reducing barriers to care, supporting patients throughout their recovery journey, and advocating for EMS’ role in combating the opiate crisis.
3. Jackson Thiets is a dedicated paramedic at Hennepin EMS with 4 years of experience. He is a member of the Hennepin EMS Bridge team, a team of paramedics connecting patients with opioid use disorder from emergency settings to community resources.

Timestamps:

• [00:00] – Introduction to the podcast and the purpose of the episode
• [01:30] – Overview of guest credentials and program scope
• [04:10]

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Funding for this initiative was made possible by cooperative agreement no. 1H79TI086770 from SAMHSA. The views expressed in written conference materials or publications and by speakers and moderators do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the Department of Health and Human Services; nor does mention of trade names, commercial practices, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.
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