Experts say ending the opioid crisis must be an all hands on deck approach.

There's now a major push underway to increase the number of doctors certified to prescribe drugs to treat opioid-addicted patients. As Health reporter Erin Billups explains, the city-run hospital system is currently undergoing a major expansion of services - with the hopes of transitioning thousands, back to a normal life.

Richard Essebag first used heroin in Europe while traveling for work more than 30 years ago. He's been struggling with his addiction ever since. He found treatment at highly regulated methadone clinics, harsh and difficult to maintain.

"I didn't like the whole ball and chain concept of having to report to some plac,” said Essebag. "I was given methadone in detoxes. I didn't like the fact that it stayed in my system so long, and I found the withdrawal awful."

While the structure of methadone clinics works for some, buprenorphine has been a better fit for Essebag. It is another form of Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT), a drug his doctor Daniel Schatz prescribes through regular office visits.

"It's been a remarkable tool for me,” said Essebag “It prevented me from constantly obsessing over using the drug. And with the obsession of constantly procuring the drug."

"The big benefit to buprenorphine, which saves people's lives, is that there's increased flexibility. So here at Bellevue, we start by seeing patients every week. As opposed to a methadone clinic, you come daily." Schatz leads the Office of Behavioral Health within the city-run hospital system, NYC Health + Hospitals.

The city is seeing a slowdown of overdose deaths, due to widespread use of the overdose reversal drug naloxone. But many New Yorkers who are struggling with addiction still need greater access to treatments.

Health and Hospitals estimates it serves about 20,000 patients annually with opioid use disorder, but many are not in regular treatment -- something the system wants to change.

"I would say we have to increase the number of patients that we're treating by fivefold easily. We're talking thousands and thousands of patients," said Schatz.

Health and Hospitals has been working to get more of its staff certified to treat patients with buprenorphine. In November, 18 additional doctors' offices began prescribing it, bringing the number of specialty clinics providing it to 40.

"People are saying, 'Why can't you just stop?' And that's not the answer," said Schatz. “Your brain has really changed. Without treatment, it's very hard to maintain sobriety."

He says a broad network of doctors, regularly treating addiction like a chronic disease, is needed to end the crisis.

Richard Essebag says he believes this time, thanks to buprenorphine, he will be able to control his addiction. "Basically I'm, you know, I'm sort of in the process of rewiring my brain right now."