Although the use of prescription pain medication has declined in recent years, substance abuse and addiction remains a persistent problem. Every day, 128 people in the United States die after overdosing, according to 2018 data. While nearly 21 million Americans have at least one type of addiction, only about 10 percent of them receive treatment.
Addiction and substance abuse treatment remains a critical need for Americans, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 public health emergency. Widespread anxiety about the novel coronavirus and social isolation due to stay-at-home orders has contributed to an increase in the use of drugs and alcohol as a coping mechanism. This could have serious, long-term effects on behavioral health in the United States.
Medication-Assisted Treatment Shows Effectiveness
One of the most successful types of treatment for prescription pain addiction is medication-assisted treatment (MAT). In fact, it has been called the “gold standard” for treating prescription pain addiction.
The FDA has approved naltrexone, buprenorphine, and methadone for use in MAT for prescription painkiller disorder. These drugs help reduce cravings.
According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), MAT has been shown to:
- Improve addiction treatment client survival
- Help keep individuals in treatment
- Help reduce criminal activity
- Increase ability to get and keep a job
- Improve birth outcomes in pregnant women with SUD Despite its effectiveness, however, it remains largely underused in most U.S. addiction treatment programs.
New Research on MAT Underutilization
Most U.S. residential treatment facilities for prescription painkiller addictions do not use MAT, a new study shows
Researchers looked at data from 2,863 residential treatment centers and 232,414 patient admissions for OUD in 2017. Only 15 percent of all patients included in the study had MAT as part of their treatment plan.
Some key findings of the study:
60 percent of facilities in the study did not offer any MAT.
Only 1.3 percent offered all three FDA-approved MOUDs.
Buprenorphine was the most common MOUD, used by one-third of facilities.
Only 2.1 percent of facilities offered methadone.
“There was no appreciable difference in MOUD availability in residential facilities in states that did or did not expand Medicaid,” the researchers noted. However, more treatment plans for patients admitted in Medicaid expansion states included MOUDs than plans for patients in non-expansion states.
The researchers note that addiction treatment providers face numerous barriers when it comes to offering MATs. These restrictions include:
- Prior authorization to prescribe buprenorphine or extended-release naltrexone
- Requiring buprenorphine to be distributed by a treatment program
- Lifetime limits on buprenorphine doses larger than 8 mg
- Assigned levels of care and reimbursement, often determined by insurance coverage, do not always match what the provider or client think are appropriate for treatment Get the full study from JAMA Network Open.
Treating OUD and other forms of addiction is a complex issue that requires different plans for different clients. BestNotes EHR solutions allow you to customize your experience so your behavioral health or addiction treatment organization can treat clients as individuals, improving outcomes and revenue. Contact us today to learn more.