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Gullahorn B, Kuo I, Robinson AM, Bailey J, Loken J, Taggart T. Identifying facilitators and barriers to the uptake of medication for opioid use disorder in Washington, DC: A community-engaged concept mapping approach. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0306931. [PMID: 39028730 PMCID: PMC11259286 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0306931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 06/25/2024] [Indexed: 07/21/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Opioid overdose is a major public health challenge. We aimed to understand facilitators and barriers to engagement in medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) among persons with OUD in Washington, DC. METHODS We used a cross-sectional mixed-methods concept mapping approach to explore MOUD engagement between 2021-2022. Community members at-large generated 70 unique statements in response to the focus prompt: "What makes medication for opioid use disorder like buprenorphine (also known as Suboxone or Subutex) difficult to start or keep using?" Persons with OUD (n = 23) and service providers (n = 34) sorted and rated these statements by theme and importance. Data were analyzed with multidimensional scaling and hierarchical cluster analysis, producing thematic cluster maps. Results were validated by our community advisory board. RESULTS Seven themes emerged in response to the focus prompt: availability and accessibility; hopelessness and fear; unmet basic needs; characteristics of treatment programs; understanding and awareness of treatment; personal motivations, attitudes, and beliefs; and easier to use drugs. "Availability and accessibility," "hopelessness and fear," and "basic needs not being met" were the top three identified barriers to MOUD among consumers and providers; however, the order of these priorities differed between consumers and providers. There was a notable lack of communication and programming to address misconceptions about MOUD's efficacy, side effects, and cost. Stigma underscored many of the statements, showcasing its continued presence in clinical and social spaces. CONCLUSIONS This study distinguishes itself from other research on MOUD delivery and barriers by centering on community members and their lived experiences. Findings emphasize the need to expand access to treatment, dismantle stigma associated with substance use and MOUD, and address underlying circumstances that contribute to the profound sense of hopelessness and fear among persons with OUD-all of which will require collective action from consumers, providers, and the public.
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Affiliation(s)
- Britta Gullahorn
- Department of Prevention and Community Health, George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public of Health, Washington, DC, United States of America
| | - Irene Kuo
- Department of Epidemiology, George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public of Health, Washington, DC, United States of America
| | - Artius M. Robinson
- Family and Medical Counseling Services, Inc., Washington, DC, United States of America
| | | | - Jennifer Loken
- Whitman-Walker Health, Washington, DC, United States of America
| | - Tamara Taggart
- Department of Prevention and Community Health, George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public of Health, Washington, DC, United States of America
- Whitman-Walker Health, Washington, DC, United States of America
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, United States of America
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Stewart MT, Daily SM, Thomas CP, Panas L, Ritter G, Reif S. Expanding access to medication treatment for opioid use disorders: Findings from the Washington State hub and spoke effort. Drug Alcohol Depend 2024; 256:111125. [PMID: 38368666 PMCID: PMC10922849 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2024.111125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2023] [Revised: 02/06/2024] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Opioid use disorder (OUD) is a leading cause of preventable death and injury nationwide. Efforts to increase the use of medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) are needed. In 2017, Washington State implemented a Hub and Spoke (HS) model of care with the primary goal of expanding access to MOUD. We examined changes in MOUD utilization among Washington State Medicaid beneficiaries before and after HS implementation. METHODS We used Medicaid claims data to examine longitudinal changes in MOUD use for beneficiaries with OUD. We conducted a comparative interrupted time series analysis to examine the association between HS policy implementation and rates of MOUD utilization, overall and by type of medication. RESULTS Between 2016 and 2019, a period of increasing OUD prevalence, rates of MOUD utilization among Washington Medicaid beneficiaries increased overall from 39.7 to 50.5. Following HS implementation, rates of MOUD use grew at a significantly greater rate in the HS cohort than in the non-HS cohort (β=0.54, SE=0.02, p< 0.0001, 95% CI 0.49, 0.59). Analyses by medication type show that this rate increase was primarily due to buprenorphine use (β= 0.61, SE= 0.02, p< 0.0001, 95% CI 0.57, 0.65). CONCLUSION Improved systems of care are needed to make MOUD accessible to all patients in need. The Washington HS model is one strategy that may facilitate and expand MOUD use, particularly buprenorphine. Over the study period, Washington State saw increased use of buprenorphine, which was an emphasis of their HS model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maureen T Stewart
- Institute for Behavioral Health, Heller School for Social Policy and Management, Brandeis University, 415 South Street MS 035, Waltham, MA 02453, USA.
| | - Shay M Daily
- Institute for Behavioral Health, Heller School for Social Policy and Management, Brandeis University, 415 South Street MS 035, Waltham, MA 02453, USA
| | - Cindy Parks Thomas
- Institute for Behavioral Health, Heller School for Social Policy and Management, Brandeis University, 415 South Street MS 035, Waltham, MA 02453, USA
| | - Lee Panas
- Institute for Behavioral Health, Heller School for Social Policy and Management, Brandeis University, 415 South Street MS 035, Waltham, MA 02453, USA
| | - Grant Ritter
- Institute for Behavioral Health, Heller School for Social Policy and Management, Brandeis University, 415 South Street MS 035, Waltham, MA 02453, USA
| | - Sharon Reif
- Institute for Behavioral Health, Heller School for Social Policy and Management, Brandeis University, 415 South Street MS 035, Waltham, MA 02453, USA
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Wartko PD, Bobb JF, Boudreau DM, Matthews AG, McCormack J, Lee AK, Qiu H, Yu O, Hyun N, Idu AE, Campbell CI, Saxon AJ, Liu DS, Altschuler A, Samet JH, Labelle CT, Zare-Mehrjerdi M, Stotts AL, Braciszewski JM, Murphy MT, Dryden D, Arnsten JH, Cunningham CO, Horigian VE, Szapocznik J, Glass JE, Caldeiro RM, Phillips RC, Shea M, Bart G, Schwartz RP, McNeely J, Liebschutz JM, Tsui JI, Merrill JO, Lapham GT, Addis M, Bradley KA, Ghiroli MM, Hamilton LK, Hu Y, LaHue JS, Loree AM, Murphy SM, Northrup TF, Shmueli-Blumberg D, Silva AJ, Weinstein ZM, Wong MT, Burganowski RP. Nurse Care Management for Opioid Use Disorder Treatment: The PROUD Cluster Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Intern Med 2023; 183:1343-1354. [PMID: 37902748 PMCID: PMC10616772 DOI: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2023.5701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 10/31/2023]
Abstract
Importance Few primary care (PC) practices treat patients with medications for opioid use disorder (OUD) despite availability of effective treatments. Objective To assess whether implementation of the Massachusetts model of nurse care management for OUD in PC increases OUD treatment with buprenorphine or extended-release injectable naltrexone and secondarily decreases acute care utilization. Design, Setting, and Participants The Primary Care Opioid Use Disorders Treatment (PROUD) trial was a mixed-methods, implementation-effectiveness cluster randomized clinical trial conducted in 6 diverse health systems across 5 US states (New York, Florida, Michigan, Texas, and Washington). Two PC clinics in each system were randomized to intervention or usual care (UC) stratified by system (5 systems were notified on February 28, 2018, and 1 system with delayed data use agreement on August 31, 2018). Data were obtained from electronic health records and insurance claims. An implementation monitoring team collected qualitative data. Primary care patients were included if they were 16 to 90 years old and visited a participating clinic from up to 3 years before a system's randomization date through 2 years after. Intervention The PROUD intervention included 3 components: (1) salary for a full-time OUD nurse care manager; (2) training and technical assistance for nurse care managers; and (3) 3 or more PC clinicians agreeing to prescribe buprenorphine. Main Outcomes and Measures The primary outcome was a clinic-level measure of patient-years of OUD treatment (buprenorphine or extended-release injectable naltrexone) per 10 000 PC patients during the 2 years postrandomization (follow-up). The secondary outcome, among patients with OUD prerandomization, was a patient-level measure of the number of days of acute care utilization during follow-up. Results During the baseline period, a total of 130 623 patients were seen in intervention clinics (mean [SD] age, 48.6 [17.7] years; 59.7% female), and 159 459 patients were seen in UC clinics (mean [SD] age, 47.2 [17.5] years; 63.0% female). Intervention clinics provided 8.2 (95% CI, 5.4-∞) more patient-years of OUD treatment per 10 000 PC patients compared with UC clinics (P = .002). Most of the benefit accrued in 2 health systems and in patients new to clinics (5.8 [95% CI, 1.3-∞] more patient-years) or newly treated for OUD postrandomization (8.3 [95% CI, 4.3-∞] more patient-years). Qualitative data indicated that keys to successful implementation included broad commitment to treat OUD in PC from system leaders and PC teams, full financial coverage for OUD treatment, and straightforward pathways for patients to access nurse care managers. Acute care utilization did not differ between intervention and UC clinics (relative rate, 1.16; 95% CI, 0.47-2.92; P = .70). Conclusions and Relevance The PROUD cluster randomized clinical trial intervention meaningfully increased PC OUD treatment, albeit unevenly across health systems; however, it did not decrease acute care utilization among patients with OUD. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03407638.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paige D Wartko
- Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute, Seattle
| | - Jennifer F Bobb
- Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute, Seattle
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle
| | - Denise M Boudreau
- Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute, Seattle
- Now with Genentech Inc, South San Francisco, California
| | | | | | - Amy K Lee
- Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute, Seattle
- Now with Kaiser Permanente Washington, Renton
| | - Hongxiang Qiu
- Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute, Seattle
- Now with Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Michigan State University, East Lansing
| | - Onchee Yu
- Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute, Seattle
| | - Noorie Hyun
- Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute, Seattle
| | - Abisola E Idu
- Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute, Seattle
| | - Cynthia I Campbell
- Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Oakland
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, San Francisco
| | - Andrew J Saxon
- Center of Excellence in Substance Addiction Treatment and Education, VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, Washington
| | - David S Liu
- National Institute on Drug Abuse Center for Clinical Trials Network, North Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Andrea Altschuler
- Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Oakland
| | - Jeffrey H Samet
- Boston University Schools of Medicine and Public Health, Boston Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Colleen T Labelle
- Boston University Schools of Medicine and Public Health, Boston Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Mohammad Zare-Mehrjerdi
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, UTHealth Houston McGovern Medical School, Houston, Texas
| | - Angela L Stotts
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, UTHealth Houston McGovern Medical School, Houston, Texas
| | - Jordan M Braciszewski
- Center for Health Policy and Health Services Research, Henry Ford Health, Detroit, Michigan
| | | | - Douglas Dryden
- MultiCare Health System, Tacoma, Washington
- Now with Mosaic Medical, Bend, Oregon
| | - Julia H Arnsten
- Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, New York
- Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York
| | - Chinazo O Cunningham
- Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York
- Now with New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports, New York
| | - Viviana E Horigian
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, Florida
| | - José Szapocznik
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, Florida
| | - Joseph E Glass
- Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute, Seattle
| | - Ryan M Caldeiro
- Mental Health and Wellness Department, Kaiser Permanente Washington, Renton
| | | | - Mary Shea
- Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute, Seattle
| | - Gavin Bart
- Department of Medicine, Hennepin Healthcare, Minneapolis, Minnesota
- University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis
| | | | - Jennifer McNeely
- Department of Population Health, Grossman School of Medicine, New York University, New York
| | - Jane M Liebschutz
- Center for Research on Health Care, Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Judith I Tsui
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle
| | - Joseph O Merrill
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle
| | - Gwen T Lapham
- Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute, Seattle
- Department of Health Systems and Population Health, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle
| | - Megan Addis
- Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute, Seattle
| | - Katharine A Bradley
- Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute, Seattle
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle
- Kaiser Permanente Bernard J Tyson School of Medicine, Pasadena, California
| | - Megan M Ghiroli
- Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, New York
- Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York
| | - Leah K Hamilton
- Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute, Seattle
| | - Yong Hu
- Center for Health Policy and Health Services Research, Henry Ford Health, Detroit, Michigan
| | | | - Amy M Loree
- Center for Health Policy and Health Services Research, Henry Ford Health, Detroit, Michigan
| | - Sean M Murphy
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Thomas F Northrup
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, UTHealth Houston McGovern Medical School, Houston, Texas
| | | | | | - Zoe M Weinstein
- Boston University Schools of Medicine and Public Health, Boston Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts
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Feder KA, Harris SJ, Byrne L, Miller SM, Sodder S, Berman V, Livingston A, Edwards J, Hartman S, Sugarman OK, Shah H, Xu J, Raikes J, Gattine S, Saloner B. Attitudes and beliefs about Vermont's 2021 buprenorphine decriminalization law among residents who use illicit opioids. Drug Alcohol Depend 2023; 250:110879. [PMID: 37473698 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2023.110879] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Revised: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 07/22/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In July 2021, Vermont removed all criminal penalties for possessing 224mg or less of buprenorphine. METHODS Vermont residents (N=474) who used illicit opioid drugs or received treatment for opioid use disorder in the past 90 days were recruited for a mixed-methods survey on the health and criminal legal effects of decriminalization. Topics assessed included: motivations for using non-prescribed buprenorphine, awareness of and support for decriminalization, and criminal legal system experiences involving buprenorphine. We examined the frequencies of quantitative measures and qualitatively summarized themes from free-response questions. RESULTS Three-quarters of respondents (76%) reported lifetime use of non-prescribed buprenorphine. 80% supported decriminalization, but only 28% were aware buprenorphine was decriminalized in Vermont. Respondents described using non-prescribed buprenorphine to alleviate withdrawal symptoms and avoid use of other illicit drugs. 18% had been arrested while in buprenorphine, with non-White respondents significantly more likely to report such arrests (15% v 33%, p<0.001). CONCLUSION Decriminalization of buprenorphine may reduce unnecessary criminal legal system involvement, but its health impact was limited by low awareness at the time of our study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenneth A Feder
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Department of Mental Health, United States.
| | - Samantha J Harris
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Department of Health Policy and Management, United States
| | - Lauren Byrne
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Department of Health Policy and Management, United States
| | - Samantha M Miller
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Department of Health Policy and Management, United States
| | - Shereen Sodder
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Department of Health Policy and Management, United States
| | - Vanessa Berman
- Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, United States
| | - Amy Livingston
- Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, United States
| | - Jessica Edwards
- Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, United States
| | - Shane Hartman
- Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, United States
| | - Olivia K Sugarman
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Department of Health Policy and Management, United States
| | - Hridika Shah
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Department of Health Policy and Management, United States
| | - Justin Xu
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Department of Health Policy and Management, United States
| | - Jewyl Raikes
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Department of Health Policy and Management, United States
| | - Sabrina Gattine
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Department of Health Policy and Management, United States
| | - Brendan Saloner
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Department of Health Policy and Management, United States
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De Cola MC, Ielo A, Lo Buono V, Quartarone A, Calabrò RS. Toward social-health integration in Sicily: description of the first hub and spoke model to improve the diagnostic therapeutic care paths for neurorehabilitation. Front Public Health 2023; 11:1141581. [PMID: 37261231 PMCID: PMC10229050 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1141581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction The study describes a hub and spoke network for neuro-rehabilitation recently activated in Sicily, and evaluates the before-after changes yielded, in terms of integrated care. Methods A set of indicators based on data contained in the administrative database of inpatients of the Regional Health System are presented and discussed. Statistical analysis was conducted both globally and separately for the 9 Sicilian provinces (Agrigento, Caltanissetta, Catania, Enna, Messina, Palermo, Siracusa, Ragusa, and Trapani). Results Results showed an increase in admissions of people residing in the province where the Spokes have been opened: Trapani (+32.4%), Messina (+7.8%) and Palermo (+4.4%); besides a significant increase of patients from healthcare facilities proportion (p = 0.001) and from acute wards (p = 0.029). In addition, we found a decrease of discharge to protected healthcare facilities (p = 0.001) and to acute wards (p < 0.001), as well as an increase of discharges to home (p = 0.018). Discussion In conclusion, it would seem that the activation of this network has facilitated the management of these patients, avoiding unnecessary migrations to other provinces and/or regions, and improving the regional care service for neuro-rehabilitation. Future research will be direct to investigate this aspect, focusing on before-after variations in hospitalization rates and origin- destination patient flows.
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Stewart RE, Cardamone NC, Mandell DS, Kwon N, Kampman KM, Knudsen HK, Tjoa CW, Marcus SC. Not in my treatment center: Leadership's perception of barriers to MOUD adoption. J Subst Abuse Treat 2023; 144:108900. [PMID: 36265323 PMCID: PMC10062425 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsat.2022.108900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2022] [Revised: 08/04/2022] [Accepted: 10/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Despite their well-established effectiveness, medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) are widely underutilized across the United States. In the context of a large publicly funded behavioral health system, we examined the relationship between a range of implementation barriers and a substance use disorder treatment agency's level of adoption of MOUD. METHODS We surveyed leadership of publicly funded substance use disorder treatment centers in Philadelphia about the significance of barriers to implementing MOUD related to their workforce, organization, funding, regulations, and beliefs about MOUD's efficacy and safety. We queried leaders on the percentage of their patients with opioid use disorder who receive MOUD and examined associations between implementation barriers and MOUD adoption. RESULTS Ratings of regulatory, organizational, or funding barriers of respondents who led high MOUD adopting agencies (N = 20) were indistinguishable from those who led agencies that were low adopting of MOUD (N = 23). In contrast, agency leaders who denied MOUD-belief or workforce barriers were significantly more likely to lead high-MOUD-adopting organizations. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that leadership beliefs about MOUD may be a key factor of the organizational decision to adopt and should be a target of implementation efforts to increase direct provision of these medications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca E Stewart
- University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, 3535 Market St, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States of America.
| | - Nicholas C Cardamone
- University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, 3535 Market St, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States of America.
| | - David S Mandell
- University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, 3535 Market St, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States of America.
| | - Nayoung Kwon
- University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, 3535 Market St, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States of America
| | - Kyle M Kampman
- University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, 3535 Market St, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States of America.
| | - Hannah K Knudsen
- University of Kentucky College of Medicine, 800 Rose Street MN 150, Lexington, KY 40506, United States of America.
| | - Christopher W Tjoa
- University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, 3535 Market St, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States of America; Community Behavioral Health, 801 Market St, Philadelphia, PA 19107, United States of America.
| | - Steven C Marcus
- University of Pennsylvania School of Policy and Practice, 3701 Locust Walk, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States of America.
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del Pozo B. CommunityStat: A Public Health Intervention to Reduce Opioid Overdose Deaths in Burlington, Vermont, 2017-2020. CONTEMPORARY DRUG PROBLEMS 2022; 49:3-19. [PMID: 35068616 PMCID: PMC8782438 DOI: 10.1177/00914509211052107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
From 2017 to early 2020, the US city of Burlington, Vermont led a county-wide effort to reduce opioid overdose deaths by concentrating on the widespread, low-barrier distribution of medications for opioid use disorder. As a small city without a public health staff, the initiative was led out of the police department-with an understanding that it would not be enforcement-oriented-and centered on a local adaptation of CompStat, a management and accountability program developed by the New York City Police Department that has been cited as both yielding improvements in public safety and overemphasizing counterproductive police performance metrics if not carefully directed. The initiative was instrumental to the implementation of several novel interventions: low-threshold buprenorphine prescribing at the city's syringe service program, induction into buprenorphine-based treatment at the local hospital emergency department, elimination of the regional waiting list for medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD), and the de-facto decriminalization of diverted buprenorphine by the chief of police and county prosecutor. An effort by local legislators resulted in a state law requiring all inmates with opioid use disorder be provided with MOUD as well. By the end of 2018, these interventions were collectively associated with a 50% (17 vs. 34) reduction in the county's fatal overdose deaths, while deaths increased 20% in the remainder of Vermont. The reduction was sustained through the end of 2019. This article describes the effort undertaken by officials in Burlington to implement these interventions. It provides an example that other municipalities can use to take an evidence-based approach to reducing opioid deaths, provided stakeholders assent to sustained collaboration in the furtherance of a commitment to save lives. In doing so, it highlights that police-led public health interventions are the exception, and addressing the overdose crisis will require reform that shifts away from criminalization as a community's default framework for substance use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brandon del Pozo
- Division of Infectious Diseases, The Miriam Hospital, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
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Humphreys K, Shover CL, Andrews CM, Bohnert ASB, Brandeau ML, Caulkins JP, Chen JH, Cuéllar MF, Hurd YL, Juurlink DN, Koh HK, Krebs EE, Lembke A, Mackey SC, Larrimore Ouellette L, Suffoletto B, Timko C. Responding to the opioid crisis in North America and beyond: recommendations of the Stanford-Lancet Commission. Lancet 2022; 399:555-604. [PMID: 35122753 PMCID: PMC9261968 DOI: 10.1016/s0140-6736(21)02252-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 190] [Impact Index Per Article: 95.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2020] [Revised: 08/01/2021] [Accepted: 10/06/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Keith Humphreys
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA; Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, CA, USA.
| | - Chelsea L Shover
- Division of General Internal Medicine and Health Services Research, University of California Los Angeles David Geffen School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Christina M Andrews
- Department of Health Services Policy and Management, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Amy S B Bohnert
- Department of Psychiatry and Department of Anesthesiology, University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Veterans Affairs Center for Clinical Management Research, Veterans Affairs Ann Arbor Healthcare System, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Margaret L Brandeau
- Department of Management Science and Engineering, Huang Engineering Center, Stanford University, Stanford, CA USA
| | | | - Jonathan H Chen
- Stanford Center for Biomedical Informatics Research, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA; Division of Hospital Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | | | - Yasmin L Hurd
- Addiction Institute, Icahn School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - David N Juurlink
- Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Howard K Koh
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Harvard T H Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Erin E Krebs
- Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA; Center for Care Delivery and Outcomes Research, Veterans Affairs Minneapolis Health Care System, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Anna Lembke
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Sean C Mackey
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | | | - Brian Suffoletto
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Christine Timko
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA; Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, CA, USA
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Padwa H, Bass B, Urada D. Homelessness and publicly funded substance use disorder treatment in California, 2016-2019: Analysis of treatment needs, level of care placement, and outcomes. J Subst Abuse Treat 2021; 137:108711. [PMID: 35012791 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsat.2021.108711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2021] [Revised: 11/04/2021] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Both homelessness and substance use have increased in recent years. People experiencing homelessness (PEH) are at increased risk for health problems and early mortality, both of which can be exacerbated by substance use disorders (SUD). Specialty SUD treatment is likely needed to address substance use among PEH, and more than 232,000 PEH received treatment from U.S. publicly funded SUD programs in 2015. The objective of this paper is to develop a better understanding of the SUD services that PEH receive in publicly funded treatment programs by (1) describing the characteristics and needs of the PEH population served in publicly funded SUD treatment programs, compared to non-PEH populations; (2) determining if differences exist in treatment placement (level of care) for PEH and non-PEH; and (3) gauging how successful programs are in treating PEH compared to non-PEH. METHODS Observational study using a two-way fixed effect model to determine associations among homelessness, retention, and outcomes among Medicaid beneficiaries receiving SUD treatment in California from 2016 to 2019 (n = 638,953). The study team used ordinary least squares (OLS) regression to measure the degree to which homelessness was associated with baseline characteristics, SUD services received, and treatment outcomes. RESULTS PEH were significantly more likely than non-PEH to be having methamphetamine or heroin as their primary substance. PEH had greater frequency of primary substance use prior to entering treatment, greater ER and hospital utilization, more criminal justice involvement, and greater prevalence of mental health diagnoses and unemployment. PEH were 9.82% more likely than non-PEH to receive residential treatment and 7.11% less likely than non-PEH to receive treatment intensive outpatient modalities. Homelessness was associated with an 11.90% decrease in retention, and a 19.40% decrease in successful discharge status. These trends were consistent across outpatient, intensive outpatient, and residential modalities. CONCLUSIONS Developing SUD treatment capacity and housing supports can improve treatment outcomes for PEH. Potential strategies to improve SUD services for PEH include providing more contingency management, opioid pharmacotherapies, programming designed to treat individuals with co-occurring mental health disorders, and resources for housing options that can support PEH in their recovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Howard Padwa
- University of California, Los Angeles, Integrated Substance Abuse Programs, 11075 Santa Monica Boulevard, Suite 200, Los Angeles, CA 90025, United States of America.
| | - Brittany Bass
- University of California, Los Angeles, Integrated Substance Abuse Programs, 11075 Santa Monica Boulevard, Suite 200, Los Angeles, CA 90025, United States of America
| | - Darren Urada
- University of California, Los Angeles, Integrated Substance Abuse Programs, 11075 Santa Monica Boulevard, Suite 200, Los Angeles, CA 90025, United States of America
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10
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Hawkins EJ, Malte CA, Gordon AJ, Williams EC, Hagedorn HJ, Drexler K, Blanchard BE, Burden JL, Knoeppel J, Danner AN, Lott A, Liberto JG, Saxon AJ. Accessibility to Medication for Opioid Use Disorder After Interventions to Improve Prescribing Among Nonaddiction Clinics in the US Veterans Health Care System. JAMA Netw Open 2021; 4:e2137238. [PMID: 34870679 PMCID: PMC8649831 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.37238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE With increasing rates of opioid use disorder (OUD) and overdose deaths in the US, increased access to medications for OUD (MOUD) is paramount. Rigorous effectiveness evaluations of large-scale implementation initiatives using quasi-experimental designs are needed to inform expansion efforts. OBJECTIVE To evaluate a US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) initiative to increase MOUD use in nonaddiction clinics. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS This quality improvement initiative used interrupted time series design to compare trends in MOUD receipt. Primary care, pain, and mental health clinics in the VA health care system (n = 35) located at 18 intervention facilities and nonintervention comparison clinics (n = 35) were matched on preimplementation MOUD prescribing trends, clinic size, and facility complexity. The cohort of patients with OUD who received care in intervention or comparison clinics in the year after September 1, 2018, were evaluated. The preimplementation period extended from September 1, 2017, through August 31, 2018, and the postimplementation period from September 1, 2018, through August 31, 2019. EXPOSURES The multifaceted implementation intervention included education, external facilitation, and quarterly reports. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES The main outcomes were the proportion of patients receiving MOUD and the number of patients per clinician prescribing MOUD. Segmented logistic regression evaluated monthly proportions of MOUD receipt 1 year before and after initiative launch, adjusting for demographic and clinical covariates. Poisson regression models examined yearly changes in clinician prescribing over the same time frame. RESULTS Overall, 7488 patients were seen in intervention clinics (mean [SD] age, 53.3 [14.2] years; 6858 [91.6%] male; 1476 [19.7%] Black, 417 [5.6%] Hispanic; 5162 [68.9%] White; 239 [3.2%] other race [including American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, and multiple races]; and 194 [2.6%] unknown) and 7558 in comparison clinics (mean [SD] age, 53.4 [14.0] years; 6943 [91.9%] male; 1463 [19.4%] Black; 405 [5.4%] Hispanic; 5196 [68.9%] White; 244 [3.2%] other race; 250 [3.3%] unknown). During the preimplementation year, the proportion of patients receiving MOUD in intervention clinics increased monthly by 5.0% (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 1.05; 95% CI, 1.03-1.07). Accounting for this preimplementation trend, the proportion of patients receiving MOUD increased monthly by an additional 2.3% (AOR, 1.02; 95% CI, 1.00-1.04) during the implementation year. Comparison clinics increased by 2.6% monthly before implementation (AOR, 1.03; 95% CI, 1.01-1.04), with no changes detected after implementation. Although preimplementation-year trends in monthly MOUD receipt were similar in intervention and comparison clinics, greater increases were seen in intervention clinics after implementation (AOR, 1.04; 95% CI, 1.01-1.08). Patients treated with MOUD per clinician in intervention clinics saw greater increases from before to after implementation compared with comparison clinics (incidence rate ratio, 1.50; 95% CI, 1.28-1.77). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE A multifaceted implementation initiative in nonaddiction clinics was associated with increased MOUD prescribing. Findings suggest that engagement of clinicians in general clinical settings may increase MOUD access.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric J. Hawkins
- Seattle Center of Innovation for Veteran-Centered and Value-Driven Care, Health Services Research & Development, Veterans Affairs (VA) Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, Washington
- Center of Excellence in Substance Addiction Treatment and Education, VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, Washington
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle
| | - Carol A. Malte
- Seattle Center of Innovation for Veteran-Centered and Value-Driven Care, Health Services Research & Development, Veterans Affairs (VA) Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, Washington
- Center of Excellence in Substance Addiction Treatment and Education, VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, Washington
| | - Adam J. Gordon
- Informatics, Decision-Enhancement, and Analytic Sciences Center, Health Services Research & Development, VA Salt Lake City Health Care System, Salt Lake City, Utah
- Program for Addiction Research, Clinical Care, Knowledge, and Advocacy, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City
| | - Emily C. Williams
- Seattle Center of Innovation for Veteran-Centered and Value-Driven Care, Health Services Research & Development, Veterans Affairs (VA) Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, Washington
- Department of Health Systems and Population Health, University of Washington, Seattle
| | - Hildi J. Hagedorn
- Center for Care Delivery & Outcomes Research, Health Services Research & Development, Minneapolis VA Health Care System, Minneapolis, Minnesota
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis
| | - Karen Drexler
- Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention, Veterans Health Administration, Washington, DC
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Brittany E. Blanchard
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle
| | - Jennifer L. Burden
- Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention, Veterans Health Administration, Washington, DC
| | - Jennifer Knoeppel
- Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention, Veterans Health Administration, Washington, DC
| | - Anissa N. Danner
- Seattle Center of Innovation for Veteran-Centered and Value-Driven Care, Health Services Research & Development, Veterans Affairs (VA) Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, Washington
- Center of Excellence in Substance Addiction Treatment and Education, VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, Washington
| | - Aline Lott
- Seattle Center of Innovation for Veteran-Centered and Value-Driven Care, Health Services Research & Development, Veterans Affairs (VA) Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, Washington
- Center of Excellence in Substance Addiction Treatment and Education, VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, Washington
| | - Joseph G. Liberto
- Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention, Veterans Health Administration, Washington, DC
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore
| | - Andrew J. Saxon
- Seattle Center of Innovation for Veteran-Centered and Value-Driven Care, Health Services Research & Development, Veterans Affairs (VA) Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, Washington
- Center of Excellence in Substance Addiction Treatment and Education, VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, Washington
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle
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Meteliuk A, Galvez S, Fomenko T, Kalandiia H, Iaryi V, Farnum SO, Islam Z, Altice FL, Madden LM. Successful transfer of stable patients on opioid agonist therapies from specialty addiction treatment to primary care settings in Ukraine: A pilot study. J Subst Abuse Treat 2021; 134:108619. [PMID: 34579978 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsat.2021.108619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2021] [Revised: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 09/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION In Ukraine, HIV is concentrated among people who inject drugs (PWID), and opioid agonist therapies (OAT) are the most effective approach to preventing HIV transmission. OAT coverage is well below internationally recommended levels, with OAT provided primarily in specialty addiction treatment clinics. Integrating OAT into primary care settings represents a promising practice for increasing OAT coverage. METHODS The study collected data prospectively from the first 50 stable patients transferred from the largest OAT site to 10 primary care clinics in Kiev; patients had negative urine drug tests for the previous six months. Participants completed the BASIS-24-the 24-item Behaviour and Symptom Identification Scale-to assess symptoms of psychiatric and social function across 6 domains: (1) depression and functioning, (2) relationships, (3) self-harm, (4) emotional lability, (5) psychosis, and (6) substance use before transfer and 6 months after transfer from May through November 2019. RESULTS Participants were on average 36 years old, mostly male (84.0%) and had some employment (64.0%). After six months, some employment increased to 88.0% and BASIS-24 scores significantly improved on four domains: depression (1.09 vs 0.73, p = 0.0005), relationships (2.15 vs 1.7, p < 0.0001), emotional liability (1.30 vs 1.00, p = 0.0209) and substance use (1.23 vs 1.07, p = 0073). CONCLUSIONS Stable OAT patients can be successfully transferred from specialty to primary care clinics without deterioration in mental health symptoms or functioning. Patients transferred to primary care showed significant improvement in their emotional well-being, their substance use, and their employment status.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Meteliuk
- Alliance for Public Health of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Samy Galvez
- Yale School of Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, New Haven, CT, United States
| | | | - Hela Kalandiia
- Kyiv City Drug Addiction Clinical Hospital 'Sociotherapy', Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Volodymyr Iaryi
- Kyiv City Drug Addiction Clinical Hospital 'Sociotherapy', Kyiv, Ukraine
| | | | - Zahedul Islam
- Alliance for Public Health of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Frederick L Altice
- Yale School of Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, New Haven, CT, United States; APT Foundation, New Haven, CT, United States; Yale School of Public Health, Division of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, New Haven, CT, United States.
| | - Lynn M Madden
- Yale School of Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, New Haven, CT, United States; APT Foundation, New Haven, CT, United States
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12
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Snyder H, Kalmin MM, Moulin A, Campbell A, Goodman-Meza D, Padwa H, Clayton S, Speener M, Shoptaw S, Herring AA. Rapid Adoption of Low-Threshold Buprenorphine Treatment at California Emergency Departments Participating in the CA Bridge Program. Ann Emerg Med 2021; 78:759-772. [PMID: 34353655 DOI: 10.1016/j.annemergmed.2021.05.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2020] [Revised: 05/14/2021] [Accepted: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
STUDY OBJECTIVE We retrospectively evaluated the implementation of low-threshold emergency department (ED) buprenorphine treatment at 52 hospitals participating in the CA Bridge Program using the RE-AIM (reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation, maintenance) framework. METHODS The CA Bridge model included low-threshold buprenorphine, connection to outpatient care, and harm reduction. Implementation began in March 2019. Participating hospitals reported aggregated clinical data monthly after program initiation. Outcomes included identification of opioid use disorder, buprenorphine administration, and linkage to outpatient addiction treatment. Multivariable models assessed associations between hospital location (rural versus urban) and teaching status (clinical teaching hospital versus community hospital) and outcomes in adopting the CA Bridge Program. RESULTS Reach: A diverse and geographically distributed group of 52 California hospitals were enrolled in 2 phases (March and August 2019); 12 (23%) were rural and 13 (25%) were teaching hospitals. Effectiveness: Over a 14-month implementation period, 12,009 opioid use disorder patient encounters were identified, including 7,179 (59.7%) where buprenorphine was administered and 4,818 (40.1%) where follow-up visits were attended. Adoption: In multivariable analysis, adoption did not differ significantly between rural and urban or teaching and nonteaching hospitals. IMPLEMENTATION By program completion, all 52 (100%) hospitals treated opioid use disorder with buprenorphine; 45 (86.5%) administered buprenorphine after naloxone reversal; 41 (84.6%) offered buprenorphine for inpatients; 48 (92.3%) initiated buprenorphine in pregnant women; and 29 (55.8%) offered take-home naloxone. Maintenance: At 8-month follow-up, all 52 sites reported continued buprenorphine treatment. CONCLUSION Low-threshold ED buprenorphine treatment implemented with a harm reduction approach and active navigation to outpatient addiction treatment was successful in achieving buprenorphine treatment for opioid use disorder in diverse California communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah Snyder
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA; CA Bridge Program, Public Health Institute, Oakland, CA
| | - Mariah M Kalmin
- Department of Family Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Aimee Moulin
- CA Bridge Program, Public Health Institute, Oakland, CA; Department of Emergency Medicine and Psychiatry, UC Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, CA
| | - Arianna Campbell
- CA Bridge Program, Public Health Institute, Oakland, CA; Department of Emergency Medicine, US Acute Care Solutions at Marshall Medical Center, Placerville, CA
| | - David Goodman-Meza
- Division of Infectious Diseases, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Howard Padwa
- Integrated Substance Abuse Programs, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
| | | | | | - Steve Shoptaw
- Department of Family Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Andrew A Herring
- CA Bridge Program, Public Health Institute, Oakland, CA; Department of Emergency Medicine and Internal Medicine, Highland Hospital-Alameda Health System, Oakland, CA; University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA.
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13
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Hodgkin D, Horgan C, Bart G. Financial sustainability of payment models for office-based opioid treatment in outpatient clinics. Addict Sci Clin Pract 2021; 16:45. [PMID: 34225785 PMCID: PMC8256208 DOI: 10.1186/s13722-021-00253-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2020] [Accepted: 06/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Office-Based Opioid Treatment (OBOT) is a delivery model which seeks to make medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD), particularly buprenorphine, widely available in general medical clinics and offices. Despite evidence supporting its effectiveness and cost-effectiveness, uptake of the OBOT model has been relatively slow. One important barrier to faster diffusion of OBOT may be the financial challenges facing clinics that could adopt it. METHODS We review key features and variants of the OBOT model, then discuss different approaches that have been used to fund it, and the findings from previous economic analyses of OBOT's impact on organizational finances. We conclude by discussing the implications of these analyses for the financial sustainability of the OBOT delivery model. RESULTS Like other novel services, OBOT poses challenges for providers due to its reliance on services which are 'non-billable' in a fee-for-service environment. A variety of approaches exist for covering the non-billable costs, but which approaches are feasible depends on local payer policies. The scale of the challenges varies with clinic size, organizational affiliations and the policies of the state where the clinic operates. Small clinics in a purely fee-for-service environment may be particularly challenged in pursuing OBOT, given the need to fund a dedicated staff and extra administrative work. The current pandemic may pose both opportunities and challenges for the sustainability of OBOT, with expanded access to telemedicine, but also uncertainty about the durability of the expansion. CONCLUSION The reimbursement environment for OBOT delivery varies widely around the US, and is evolving as Medicare (and possibly other payers) introduce alternative payment approaches. Clinics considering adoption of OBOT are well advised to thoroughly investigate these issues as they make their decision. In addition, payers will need to rethink how they pay for OBOT to make it sustainable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominic Hodgkin
- Institute for Behavioral Health, Heller School for Social Policy and Management, Brandeis University, Waltham, United States.
| | - Constance Horgan
- Institute for Behavioral Health, Heller School for Social Policy and Management, Brandeis University, Waltham, United States
| | - Gavin Bart
- Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota Medical School and Division of Addiction Medicine, Hennepin Healthcare, Minneapolis, United States
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Lim MAWT, Liberali SAC, Calache H, Parashos P, Borromeo GL. Specialist Networks Influence Clinician Willingness to Treat Individuals with Special Needs. JDR Clin Trans Res 2021; 7:267-276. [PMID: 34148391 DOI: 10.1177/23800844211020250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The South Australian Dental Service's Special Needs Network was established to support oral health professionals working within their statewide government-funded dental service to treat patients with special needs. This study aimed to investigate how a structured network relationship with specialists in special needs dentistry influenced the willingness of dentists to treat this group of patients. METHODS Semi-structured interviews were used to explore the views of specialists and dentists involved in the South Australian Dental Service's Special Needs Network. Inductive thematic analysis identified emerging themes enabling completion of a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis. RESULTS Dentists felt that a strength of the Network was a greater sense of collegiality, particularly for those working in rural areas. Although the inability to get immediate advice was seen as a weakness, dentists felt a more structured relationship with specialists improved communication pathways and resulted in more timely care. The aging workforce, systemic barriers in the public dental system, such as productivity pressures and infrastructure, and the lack of support from other health professionals were seen as ongoing barriers and threats. Regardless, dentists identified the use of telehealth and visiting specialists as future opportunities. Specialists felt that the Network was a valuable resource but were skeptical about its effectiveness, feeling that a limitation was the ability of dentists to recognize the complexity of cases. CONCLUSIONS Ongoing support from and communication with specialists in special needs dentistry through a structured network improved the perceived ability and willingness of dentists to treat patients with special needs. KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER STATEMENT This research suggests that providing support to dentists through a hub-and-spoke network that facilitates additional training, professional interaction, and improved communication with specialists in special needs dentistry may help overcome some of the current barriers to access to care experienced by individuals with special needs, particularly those associated with the willingness and capability of clinicians treat them.
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Affiliation(s)
- M A W T Lim
- Melbourne Dental School, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia.,Dental Services, Alfred Health, Melbourne, Australia.,Dental and Maxillofacial Surgery Clinic, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, Australia
| | - S A C Liberali
- Special Needs Unit, Adelaide Dental Hospital, Adelaide, Australia.,Adelaide Dental School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
| | - H Calache
- Melbourne Dental School, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia.,Deakin Health Economics, Institute for Health Transformation, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia
| | - P Parashos
- Melbourne Dental School, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - G L Borromeo
- Melbourne Dental School, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
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Ellis K, Walters S, Friedman SR, Ouellet LJ, Ezell J, Rosentel K, Pho MT. Breaching Trust: A Qualitative Study of Healthcare Experiences of People Who Use Drugs in a Rural Setting. FRONTIERS IN SOCIOLOGY 2020; 5:593925. [PMID: 33869521 PMCID: PMC8022503 DOI: 10.3389/fsoc.2020.593925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2020] [Accepted: 10/16/2020] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Background: Increased drug use has disproportionately impacted rural areas across the U.S. People who use drugs are at risk of overdose and other medical complications, including infectious diseases. Understanding barriers to healthcare access for this often stigmatized population is key to reducing morbidity and mortality, particularly in rural settings where resources may be limited. Methods: We conducted 20 semi-structured interviews with people who use drugs, including 17 who inject drugs, in rural southern Illinois between June 2018 and February 2019. Interviews were analyzed using a modified grounded theory approach where themes are coded and organized as they emerge from the data. Results: Participants reported breaches of trust by healthcare providers, often involving law enforcement and Emergency Medical Services, that dissuaded them from accessing medical care. Participants described experiences of mistreatment in emergency departments, with one account of forced catheterization. They further recounted disclosures of protected health information by healthcare providers, including communicating drug test results to law enforcement and sharing details of counseling sessions with community members without consent. Participants also described a hesitancy common among people who use drugs to call emergency medical services for an overdose due to fear of arrest. Conclusion: Breaches of trust by healthcare providers in rural communities discouraged people who use drugs from accessing medical care until absolutely necessary, if at all. These experiences may worsen healthcare outcomes and further stigmatize this marginalized community. Structural changes including reforming and clarifying law enforcement's role in Emergency Departments as well as instituting diversion policies during arrests may help rebuild trust in these communities. Other possible areas for intervention include stigma training and harm reduction education for emergency medicine providers, as well as developing and implementing referral systems between Emergency Departments and local harm reduction providers and medically assisted drug treatment programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaitlin Ellis
- Pritzker School of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Suzan Walters
- Rory Meyers College of Nursing, New York University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Samuel R. Friedman
- Department of Population Health, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Lawrence J. Ouellet
- COIP/Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Illinois Chicago School of Public Health, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Jerel Ezell
- Africana Studies and Research Center, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States
| | - Kris Rosentel
- Section of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Mai T. Pho
- Section of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL, United States
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Watson DP, Andraka-Christou B, Clarke T, Wiegandt J. Introduction to the special issue on innovative interventions and approaches to expand medication assisted treatment: Seizing research opportunities made available by the opioid STR program. J Subst Abuse Treat 2019; 108:1-3. [PMID: 31668689 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsat.2019.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
The 21st Century Cures Act is the most significant piece of U.S. legislation aimed at tackling the opioid epidemic to date. This special issue comprises papers reflecting medication-assisted treatment (MAT)-related research made possible through the Cures Act-authorized State Targeted Response (STR) grant mechanism. Work related to both STR evaluation and original research conducted within the context of STR activities are included in the issue, with topics including community assessments of MAT-related needs, MAT access and linkage, criminal justice-oriented MAT implementation, and adjunctive MAT supports and treatments. All of the research represented this issue is early-stage, with results reflecting data collected primarily within the first of STR's two year funding cycle. While such formative work does have inherent limitations, the gravity of the opioid epidemic requires rapid assessment and dissemination of results to inform the public health response in a manner that will have a timely and meaningful impact.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dennis P Watson
- Center for Dissemination and Implementation Research, Department of Medicine, University of Illinois College of Medicine at Chicago, 818 S. Wolcott Ave., Chicago, IL 60612, United States of America.
| | - Barbara Andraka-Christou
- Department of Health Management and Informatics, University of Central Florida, 4000 Central Florida Boulevard, Orlando, FL 32816, United States of America.
| | - Thomas Clarke
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20866, United States of America.
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