MASAC Document 289 Released: An Interview with Chair Dr. Mark Reding
Authored by Vicky Smith, BD SUMHAC Team Member
MASAC’s Mental Health and Substance Use Work Group: Dr. Mike Recht, Kate Bazinsky (BD SUMHAC), Dr. Amy Dunn, Dr. Mark Reding, Rose Bender, and Dr. Tyler Buckner
The Medical and Scientific Advisory Council (MASAC) to the National Bleeding Disorders Foundation achieved another victory with the approval of Document 289, which outlines the standard of care for patients with bleeding disorders who are seeking behavioral health treatment.
MASAC is comprised of volunteers who are professionals in their fields, ranging from hematologist, nurses and physical therapists to social workers and patient representatives. These volunteers provide expert recommendations regarding the treatment and care of individuals with bleeding disorders.
Among those volunteers is Dr. Mark Reding, the director of the Center for Bleeding and Clotting Disorders at University of Minnesota Medical Center in Minneapolis. He brings 30 years’ worth of bleeding disorder research and experience to MASAC and BD SUMHAC.
Dr. Reding has been volunteering with MASAC for four years and as the chair of MASAC’s Mental Health and Substance Use Work Group for the past two years.
MASAC Document 289 replaces Document 279, which was approved last year and focused on recommendations for reducing barriers to substance use disorder treatment. Document 289 builds on 279 and incorporates recommendations for access to mental health treatment and programs for individuals with bleeding disorders.
Across the country, individuals with bleeding disorders have been denied access to mental health and substance use disorder treatment facilities —and this issue is not new, according to Dr. Reding.
“As I think back, this issue existed many years ago,” he said, “and it was often sort of swept under the rug and not talked about, and not much was done.”
“It's long overdue that we do something about it.”
These documents are a huge success and a step forward in the effort to prevent future negative outcomes for patients, Dr. Reding said.
Document 289 provides steps that can be taken to support individuals with bleeding disorders as they undergo treatment for behavioral health issues.
“It's a kind of call to action,” he said. “It's also an outlining of steps that can be taken so that hemophilia treatment centers can work together with the treatment facilities to make sure that our patients can get access to the care they need.”
BD SUMHAC played a crucial role in the development of Document 289. Its volunteers provided facilitation support to the MASAC Mental Health Work Group and assisted in crafting the document.
“It’s been an amazing collaboration,” Dr. Reding said.
The need for Document 289 became obvious to MASAC a couple years ago when BD SUMHAC Chair Kate Bazinsky delivered a presentation about a young man with hemophilia who was seeking treatment for his substance use disorder.
The young man was denied access to a treatment facility specifically because of his bleeding disorder. Consequently, he had a fatal overdose before he could receive the help he needed.
The discussion that followed the presentation was striking to Dr. Reding. About 20 people sat around the table during the meeting and began to talk about their own personal experiences.
“Almost everybody was able to relate a similar experience from their center,” he said.
Two years later, MASAC now has a statement approved and available to the public—which would not have been possible without the help of BD SUMHAC.
“We could not have done it without them,” Dr. Reding said. “They're extremely effective and very good at what they do.”
As Dr. Reding celebrated this victory, he acknowledged that there is still work to be done beyond the documents. There is a call for continued advocacy and discussion surrounding the issue.
“We've already been very effective,” he said. “I think we can continue to be effective by just continuing to raise awareness of this issue.”
To access the MASAC documents, visit MASAC Treatment Guidelines for Blood and Bleeding Disorders | NBDF.
Dr. Reding’s full biography is available at Mark Reding | Medical School (umn.edu).
Acknowledgments: We are very grateful to Dr. Mark Reding for this interview. Congratulations as well to Dr. Reding on receiving the 2024 ‘Physician of the Year’ award from the National Bleeding Disorders Foundation.