Overdose Recovery and Care Access (ORCA) Qualitative Stakeholder Interviews and County-level Data
University of Washington
Summary
The study is a quasi-experimental investigation of a sub-acute stabilization center (SASC) for people who have had or are at risk for having an opioid overdose and have an encounter with Seattle Fire Department emergency medical services (EMS) in Seattle, WA. Those transported to the SASC are the intervention participants and two comparison groups will be utilized: eligible Seattle EMS patients who opt not to go to the SASC and King County residents, outside of Seattle, who meet the same eligibility criteria. A comparative interrupted time series analysis is planned to study the main effectiveness outcomes. Seattle Fire EMS will assess, refer, and arrange transport for participants to the SASC. The SASC will offer an array of services including post-overdose monitoring, utilization of buprenorphine and methadone for the treatment opioid use disorder and opioid withdrawal, linkage to ongoing care for OUD, and provision of harm reduction services and supplies. The length of stay in the SASC will be limited to less than 24 hours. A continuous process improvement (CPI) approach will monitor and refine the intervention. Characterization of the interventions will be based upon analysis of service utilization patterns over time along with interviews and surveys with stakeholders.
Description
1. Clinical Intervention * We will be conducting a quasi-experimental study of a new sub-acute stabilization center (SASC) for those at high risk or who have had an opioid overdose to which Seattle Fire/EMS refer. All eligible people at risk or post OD who encounter Seattle Fire/EMS will potentially be offered the intervention, and those interested and transported will be considered study participants, there is no study assignment (anticipated n=5,495). * Comparison groups will be identified from secondary EMS records data for Seattle (anticipated n=7,223) and the remainder of King Coun…