Clinical Decision Support to Increase Use of Medications for Opioid Use Disorder

Summary

The objective of this study is to evaluate the impact of clinical decision support (CDS) in the form of an alert to identify patients who may be at risk of opioid use disorder (OUD) and a clinical care pathway helping providers treating patients with opioid use disorder. The pathway provides health care providers with information and suggestions for screening and treatment of opioid use disorder, including treatment with medications. The 2022 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) clinical practice guideline for prescribing opioids for pain recommends providers asses for and treat opioid use disorder using approved medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD). This project will implement a passive CDS alert when a provider prescribes an opioid to a patient who may be at risk of opioid use disorder. Providers will also have link access to a clinical care pathway providing support for OUD screening and treatment. Before and after comparisons of buprenorphine (a medication used to treat opioid use disorder) prescribing by providers and outcomes of patients will be examined based on medical records data collected during routine care. The study period will be approximately 18 months.

Eligibility

Age range

12–89 years

Sex

All

Healthy volunteers

Yes

Interventions

• Other
  Medications for Opioid Use Disorder Pathway Clinical Decision Support (CDS)

  Clinical decision support (CDS) in the form of an electronic health record (EHR)-integrated, provider-facing notification suggesting (a) the patient may be at risk for opioid use disorder and could benefit from screening, (b) patients with opioid use disorder would benefit from treatment with buprenorphine and (c) utilization of a clinical care pathway to help treat patients with opioid use disorder with buprenorphine as suggested by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines.

Location