Buprenorphine discontinuation in telehealth-only treatment for opioid use disorder: A longitudinal cohort analysis.

Introduction: At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, federal agencies permitted telehealth initiation of buprenorphine treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD) without in-person assessment. It remains unclear how telehealth-only buprenorphine treatment impacts time to discontinuation and patient reported treatment outcomes.

Methods: A longitudinal observational cohort study conducted September 2021 through March, 2023 enrolled participants with OUD initiating buprenorphine (≤ 45 days) with internet and phone access in Oregon and Washington.

Engaging the Great Circle: a qualitative study of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde’s mobile medication unit.

Background: The Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of Oregon began a Mobile Medication Unit (MMU) as part of their Great Circle Recovery Opioid Treatment Program (OTP) to address elevated rates of opioid use disorder (OUD) among American Indians and Alaska Natives in Oregon. The MMU provides methadone or buprenorphine for individuals with OUD, enrolled in the OTP, who are living either on the reservation or in surrounding rural communities. An implementation study describes the service through document review and qualitatively assesses patient and staff experiences and the perceived barriers and facilitators to mobile services.

Recruitment challenges for a prospective telehealth cohort study.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic presents challenges in participant recruitment strategies for clinical research involving people with opioid use disorders recently engaged in treatment. We describe challenges to participant recruitment in a trial comparing virtual buprenorphine treatment platform to office-based buprenorphine treatment.

Methods: The parent study was a cohort trial of telehealth delivered buprenorphine treatment compared to office-based buprenorphine treatment, however, due to the pandemic potential participant recruitment for both arms became virtual.

Patient evaluation of a smartphone application for telehealth care of opioid use disorder.

Background: People with opioid use disorder (OUD) face barriers to entering and remaining in life-saving treatment (e.g., stigma, detrimental interactions with health care, and privacy concerns).