RELEVANCE: The opioid epidemic is U.S.’s most widespread behavioral public health problem, with a higher number of deaths due to overdose in 2016 compared to deaths due to HIV at the peak of the AIDS epidemic. Medication assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid use disorder (OUD) is highly efficacious. However, only a fraction of persons with OUD access MAT and treatment non-adherence and drop out is common. There is a dire need to improve systems to address these issues and to expand the use of MAT for many patients who are out of care.
DESCRIPTION: This NIH-funded project is conducted in collaboration with the technology company Q2i, developer of the Opioid Addiction Recover Support platform (OARS). In Phase 1 of the study, we will conduct interviews with physicians and patients using OARS to determine the feasibility and acceptability of using the platform in a primary care setting. The platform will then be modified according to our results and we will move into a second phase to assess the effectiveness of OARS in improving opioid agonist treatment outcomes and to evaluate sustainability and return on investment.
STATUS: This study has completed enrollment and is currently in the data analysis phase.