Since access to medication-assisted treatment for addiction is limited in specialty care, researchers sought to identify successful strategies for treating opioid addiction in the primary care setting.
To determine the most successful elements of MAT interventions in the primary care setting, researchers analyzed 41 articles documenting 35 such interventions conducted across eight countries. Researchers identified seven studies that displayed the highest levels of success with 60 percent or more of patients adhering to MAT for three months or longer. Researchers identified three intervention design features common among these successful programs.
1. Establishing integrated clinical teams to implement the intervention that include support staff of practiced clinicians, such as nurses and pharmacists.
2. Having patients sign contracts pledging to adhere to treatment.
3. Allowing patients to initiate the first MAT dose while at home to make care more convenient for both themselves and providers.
Mroe articles on opioids:
More Americans died of drug overdoses in 2016 than in the Vietnam War
Pennsylvania county opioid epidemic lawsuit names 23 defendants
Opioid crisis most important health issue in state, say West Virginians
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