The impact of an emergency department peer navigator (EDPN) program in improving clinical outcomes and healthcare utilization in an urban setting.

Introduction: Emergency Department Peer Navigator Programs (EDPN) have been shown to increase the prescribing of medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) and improve linkage to addiction care. However, what is not known is whether it can improve overall clinical outcomes and healthcare utilization in patients with OUD.

Methods: This is a single-center, IRB approved, retrospective cohort study using patients with OUD enrolled in our peer navigator program from 11/7/19 to 2/16/21. On an annual basis, we determined MOUD clinic follow-up rates and clinical outcomes in those patients who utilized our EDPN program. Finally, we also looked at the social determinants of health factors (e.g., race, status of medical insurance, lack of housing, access to phone and/or internet, employment, etc.) that impact our patients clinical outcomes. ED and inpatient provider notes were reviewed to determine causes of ED visits and hospitalizations one year before and after enrollment into the program. The clinical outcomes of interest were number of ED visits from all-causes, number of ED visits from opioid-related causes, number of hospitalizations from all-causes, and number of hospitalizations from opioid-related causes one year after enrollment into our EDPN program, subsequent urine drug screens, and mortality. Demographic and socioeconomic factors (age, gender, race, employment, housing, insurance status, access to phone) were also analyzed to determine if any were independently associated with clinical outcomes. Death and cardiac arrests were noted. Clinical outcomes data were described using descriptive statistics and compared using t-tests.

Results: 149 patients with OUD were included in our study. 39.6% had an opioid-related chief complaint at their index ED visit; 51.0% had any recorded history of MOUD and 46.3% had history of buprenorphine use. 31.5% had buprenorphine given in the ED with individual doses ranging from 2 to 16 mg and 46.3% were provided with a buprenorphine prescription. The average number of ED visits 1-year pre vs post enrollment, respectively, for all-causes was 3.09 vs 2.20 (p < 0.01); for opioid related complications 1.80 vs 0.72 (p < 0. 01). The average number of hospitalizations 1-year pre and post enrollment, respectively, for all-causes was 0.83 vs 0.60 (p = 0.05); for opioid related complications 0.39 vs 0.09 (p < 0.01). ED visits from all-causes decreased in 90 (60.40%) patients, had no change in 28 (18.79%) patients, and increased in 31 (20.81%) patients (p < 0.01). ED visits from opioid-related complications decreased in 92 (61.74%) patients, had no change in 40 (26.85%) patients, and increased in 17 (11.41%) (p < 0.01). Hospitalizations from all causes decreased in 45 (30.20%) patients, had no change in 75 patients (50.34%), and increased in 29 (19.46%) patients (p < 0.01). Lastly, hospitalizations from opioid-related complications decreased in 31 (20.81%) patients, had no change in 113 (75.84%) patients, and increased in 5 (3.36%) patients (p < 0.01). There were no socioeconomic factors that had a statistically significant association with clinical outcomes. Two patients (1.2%) died within 1 year after study enrollment.

Conclusions: Our study found that there was an association between implementation of an EDPN program and decreases in ED visits and hospitalizations from both all-causes as well as from opioid-related complications for patients with opioid use disorder.