Hospital Addiction Consultation Service and Opioid Use Disorder Treatment

JAMA Internal Medicine

While medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) is effective, many patients with OUD do not receive it, particularly in hospitalized settings. In this randomized trial they evaluated the Substance Use Treatment and Recovery Team (START) model, a team of an addiction medicine provider and a care manager, and provided motivational interviewing, discharge planning and telephone follow-up for one month. Patients who received the START intervention were more likely to receive MOUD (aRR=2.10) and connect to OUD care after discharge (aRR=1.49). In addition, these patients were more likely to have an OUD-focused discharge plan (aRR=1.8), initiate or continue MOUD post discharge (aRR=1.71), and see a clinician for OUD post discharge (aRR=1.89). These findings support use of hospital-based addiction consult services to address this healthcare gap.

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