Substance Use & Addiction Journal

AUTHORS' OWN WORDS: "While individuals receiving #methadone treatment have negative experiences with the community corrections system, they perceive...community correction officers (CCOs) positively. Interventions addressing gaps in CCOs knowledge...are needed. https://lnkd.in/g6v7xCr2

SAj values peer reviewers! Congrats to Joseph Mandato, #osteopathic #ohiouniversity osteopathic #medicalstudent, for receiving the 2024 SAj Best Review/Reviewer of the Year Award! His reviews have been "helpful" & "insightful". SAj is proud of its #peerreviewers & their effectiveness

Congrats to Dr. Suen & team (& AMERSA Board Members!) for receiving the 2024 SAj Most Downloaded Paper Award: "#Methadone's Resurgence in Bridging the Treatment Gap in the #Overdose Crisis: Position Statement of AMERSA, Inc).Science into advocacy! https://lnkd.in/gYWu5eYs

AUTHORS' OWN WORDS: "Despite prevalent #riskbehaviors, a minority of participants perceived themselves to be at higher risk of #overdose. Nonetheless, some known risk factors for overdose were appropriately associated with risk perception." #fentanyl #opioid https://lnkd.in/g_hqMTG4 ?

In the author's own words: "Successful implementation of #HIV testing and #PrEP in #SUD treatment programs requires addressing multi-level barriers. Including perspectives of non-medical staff and administrators is important for #implementation." https://lnkd.in/g6TGNn7H

In an evaluation of a #PrimaryCare Transition Clinic for Patients Newly Initiated on #Buprenorphine in the #EmergencyDepartment: a #PCP transition clinic for patients initiating #BMOUD was associated with superior outcomes compared to usual care https://lnkd.in/gwTy_qAg Abstract Background: Care transitions represent vulnerable events for patients newly initiating medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD). Multidisciplinary primary care-based transition clinics may improve care linkage and retention in MOUD treatment. Additionally, these interventions may help primary care clinicians (PCPs) overcome barriers to adopting MOUD into practice. In this evaluation, we assessed the impact of a primary care-based transition clinic for patients newly initiating buprenorphine for opioid use disorder (OUD) in the emergency department. Methods: We conducted a retrospective program evaluation within a single academic health system involving adults who newly initiated buprenorphine for OUD through an emergency department-based program and were referred to follow up in either a dedicated multidisciplinary primary care-based transition clinic (SPARC) vs referral to usual primary care (UPC). We performed descriptive analyses comparing patient demographics, referral volume, linkage to care, treatment retention, and markers of high-quality care between the 2 groups. A log-rank test was used to determine the difference in probabilities of retention between SPARC and UPC over 6?months. Results: Over 12?months, the number of referrals to SPARC was greater than to UPC (N?=?64 vs N?=?26). About 58% of patients referred to SPARC attended an initial visit vs 38% referred to UPC. Treatment retention was consistently greater in SPARC than UPC (1?m: 90% vs 60%; 3?m: 76% vs 40%; 6?m: 60% vs 30%). Markers of care quality including naloxone provision (100% vs 80%) and infectious screening (81% vs 40%) were greater in SPARC clinic. SPARC was associated with a statistically significant increased probability of retention in treatment as compared to UPC (P?<?.01). Conclusions: In this observational evaluation, a primary care-based multidisciplinary transition clinic for patients initiating buprenorphine MOUD was associated with expanded access to longitudinal OUD treatment and superior linkage to care, retention in care, and quality of care compared to referral to usual primary care. Further research using a more rigorous research design is required to further evaluate these findings.