PLACERVILLE, CA (October 20, 2025) – Marshall’s innovative approach to treating substance use disorders has been recognized in the Journal of General Internal Medicine, an international peer-reviewed publication by Springer Nature. The study highlights the success of Marshall’s Substance Use Navigator program in improving health outcomes for patients experiencing substance use disorders through early treatment interventions and reduced unplanned hospital readmissions.
The research, conducted in partnership with the Public Health Institute’s Bridge Center, evaluated hospitalized patients with alcohol or opioid use disorders at Marshall’s main hospital campus in Placerville. Findings show that patients who received a consultation from a Substance Use Navigator were twice as likely to begin FDA-approved medication treatment and experienced a 64 percent lower rate of 30-day unplanned readmissions compared to those who did not receive navigator support.
“We are proud that Marshall’s work continues to be part of the national conversation on substance use care,” said Siri Nelson, President and Chief Executive Officer of Marshall. “This research reaffirms our philosophy that an elevated patient experience can achieve exceptional results when we invest in programs and people that meet patients where they are. This approach helps offer a pathway for our patients to achieve their highest desired state of well-being.”
Marshall launched its Substance Use Navigator program in 2019 through California’s CA Bridge initiative. The program integrates trained navigators within the Emergency Department and hospital facilities to identify patients with substance use disorder and initiate medication-assisted treatment. Patients are then provided with resources that connect them to low-barrier community-based recovery services for further support.
“The study reinforces the value of supporting evidence-based treatment and patient navigation directly into hospital care,” said Arianna Campbell, DMSc, MPH, PA-C, SeniorDirector at The Bridge Center at the Public Health Institute and lead author of the study. “When hospitals take a medication-first approach and offer consults from navigators with lived experience, patients are more likely to engage in a sustainable treatment plan with a path to recovery. Marshall’s model demonstrates what is possible across hospitals of any size.”
The article, Impact of Substance Use Navigators on Initiation of Treatment for Substance Use Disorders and 30-Day Unplanned Readmission, appears in the October 2025 issue of the Journal of General Internal Medicine.
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