BY BETSY STOVSKY, RN, MSN, AND MARY McLAUGHLIN DAVIS, DNP, NEA-BC, ACNS-BC, CCM
Patients with infective endocarditis (IE) due to opioid substance use disorder (SUD) and injection drug use (IDU) present to the acute care setting with a myriad of surgical, medical, psychiatric and social problems. The complexity of this patient population requires an experienced team of healthcare professionals to provide the care they need from admission to discharge. Case managers, as leaders in population health, patient advocacy and continuity of care, are important members of the multidisciplinary team to care for this patient population.