West Virginia's model of buprenorphine expansion: Preliminary results

Erin L. Winstanley, West Virginia University, School of Medicine and Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute, Department of Behavioral Medicine and Psychiatry, 930 Chestnut Ridge Road, Morgantown, WV, United States; West Virginia University, School of Medicine, Department of Neuroscience, United States
Laura R. Lander, West Virginia University, School of Medicine and Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute, Department of Behavioral Medicine and Psychiatry, 930 Chestnut Ridge Road, Morgantown, WV, United States; West Virginia University, School of Medicine, Department of Neuroscience, United States
James H. Berry, West Virginia University, School of Medicine and Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute, Department of Behavioral Medicine and Psychiatry, 930 Chestnut Ridge Road, Morgantown, WV, United States; West Virginia University, School of Medicine, Department of Neuroscience, United States
James J. Mahoney III, West Virginia University, School of Medicine and Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute, Department of Behavioral Medicine and Psychiatry, 930 Chestnut Ridge Road, Morgantown, WV, United States; West Virginia University, School of Medicine, Department of Neuroscience, United States
Wanhong Zheng, West Virginia University, School of Medicine and Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute, Department of Behavioral Medicine and Psychiatry, 930 Chestnut Ridge Road, Morgantown, WV, United States; West Virginia University, School of Medicine, Department of Neuroscience, United States
Jeremy Herschler, West Virginia University, School of Medicine and Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute, Department of Behavioral Medicine and Psychiatry, 930 Chestnut Ridge Road, Morgantown, WV, United States
Patrick Marshalek, West Virginia University, School of Medicine and Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute, Department of Behavioral Medicine and Psychiatry, 930 Chestnut Ridge Road, Morgantown, WV, United States; West Virginia University, School of Medicine, Department of Neuroscience, United States
Sheena Sayres, West Virginia University, School of Medicine and Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute, Department of Behavioral Medicine and Psychiatry, 930 Chestnut Ridge Road, Morgantown, WV, United States; West Virginia University, West Virginial Clinical and Translational Science Institute, United States
Jay Manson, West Virginia University, West Virginial Clinical and Translational Science Institute, United States
Marc W. Haut, West Virginia University, School of Medicine and Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute, Department of Behavioral Medicine and Psychiatry, 930 Chestnut Ridge Road, Morgantown, WV, United States; West Virginia University, School of Medicine, Department of Neuroscience, United States; West Virginia University, School of Medicine, Department of Neurology, United States; West Virginia University, School of Medicine, Department of Radiology, United States

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2020

Abstract

West Virginia (WV) is situated at the epicenter of the opioid epidemic with the highest rates of overdose deaths and some of the lowest rates of access to life saving evidence-based medication assisted treatment (MAT) for patients with opioid use disorder (OUD). WV used a modified hub-and-spoke model to build organizational capacity for facilities to use buprenorphine to treat patients with OUD and to provide ongoing case consultation. The purpose of this study is to 1) describe the group-base model of buprenorphine treatment and the model used to build organizational capacity, 2) to describe the preliminary results of buprenorphine expansion in WV and 3) to report preliminary data describing and comparing the characteristics of the patients served across five hubs. A single Coordinating Center uses video conferencing to train hubs and provide ongoing case consultation, as well as clinical support. Hubs were trained to deliver a buprenorphine treatment model that is multi-disciplinary and includes group-based medication management and psychosocial therapy. Five regional hubs independently treat patients and are leading MAT expansion in their local areas by training and mentoring spokes (n = 13). As a result of the WV STR funding, 14 health care facilities have started to use buprenorphine, 56 health professionals were trained and 196 patients with OUD have been treated. There were few sociodemographic characteristic differences across patients treated at the five hubs, while there were differences in self-reported alcohol and drug use in the 30 days prior to intake. Additional research is needed to determine whether the WV modified hub-and-spoke model resulted in statistically significant improvements in buprenorphine treatment capacity; there is a need to address MAT stigma and regulatory barriers in order to ensure the long-term sustainability of the buprenorphine expansion.

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