Start Treatment and Recovery for Opioid Use Disorder

Effectiveness of Bridge Clinic Following Emergency Department-Initiated Intervention for Opioid Use Disorder

The purpose of this study is 1) to evaluate whether emergency department-initiated medically assisted treatment with Buprenorphine/Naloxone in patients presenting with opioid use disorder will produce positive outcomes at 1 week, 3 months and 6 months after treatment initiation.

The emergency department is a critical missed opportunity to engage patients with opioid use disorder in medication-assisted treatment, the most effective current treatment for the disorder. Patients presenting at the emergency department with opioid use disorder will be given the opportunity to immediately start medication assisted treatment with Naloxone/Buprenorphine then referred either to a specialized addiction bridge clinic or a local waivered provider for further treatment.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patient at Emergency Department
• Diagnosis opioid use disorder according to criteria Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) 5

Exclusion Criteria:

• Participating in alternate treatment program for opioid use disorder
• Prisoner
• Inability to communicate
• Psychosis
• Suicidality
• History of Buprenorphine injection
• Critical Illness