Optimizing Access and Management for Opioid Use Disorder

By Amanda Jepson | Categories: | Comments Off on Optimizing Access and Management for Opioid Use Disorder

JPS Health Network developed a bridge clinic to respond to pervasive under-treatment of opioid use disorder (OUD). It is a low-barrier model for enhancing linkage to long-term care and optimizing transitions to outpatient care for patients who screen positive or self-identify for OUD.

 Key activities for the bridge clinic include treatment initiation, where patients identified with OUD receive immediate treatment; referral to the bridge clinic; and wraparound support services that address clinical, behavioral, and social needs. The clinic connects patients to appropriate follow-up care and provides harm reduction education. The bridge clinic is co-located within the emergency setting to reduce delays and increase efficiency. Screening, treatment, and referrals are all streamlined into the electronic health record system. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration procured funding for the bridge clinic to support initial development, which became sustainable through program-generated revenue and cost savings.

The bridge clinic involves an interdisciplinary team of emergency medicine clinicians, behavioral health specialists, case managers, peer navigators, primary care providers, hospital administrators, researchers, and community partners. The team works outside of traditionally siloed departments, allowing them to identify and remove barriers to program development and implementation rapidly. The program involves multiple partners, internal to the health system and external community organizations.

Since initiation in January 2021, the bridge clinic has served more than 1,100 patients. Linkage to long-term care within 120 days increased 25 percentage points for patients referred to the bridge clinic compared with usual care. Inpatient admissions within 120 days decreased by 8 percent among patients without severe mental illness.