Implementing a Patient Navigation Intervention Across a Health System to Improve Outcomes for Patients With Opioid Use Disorder
Friends Research Institute, Inc.
Summary
Patient Navigation (PN) interventions following hospitalization can improve outcomes for people with opioid use disorder treatment. Delivering PN interventions on a wide scale requires many resources and coordination across institutions. This will use an evidence-based process to find solutions to these significant barriers by engaging community, hospital, and patient partners. This study is being conducted to learn more about how to implement NavSTAR, a patient navigation intervention for people with opioid use disorder, across a health system. The research team showed in a previous study with 400 participants that NavSTAR significantly increased entry into opioid use disorder treatment, reduced readmissions to the hospital, and was highly cost- effective compared to treatment as usual. This study will first pilot NavSTAR with 32 patient participants across 4 hospitals in the City of Philadelphia. Then, a large trial with 720 patient participants will be conducted to see if people who need the intervention are reached, and a sustainable plan will be created to continue the intervention after the grant award period.
Description
Opioid agonist treatment (OAT) is protective against overdose, yet less than 20% of people with opioid use disorder (OUD) engage in such treatment. Hospital utilization is high among people with OUD and can be a 'reachable moment' to initiate OAT. However, most hospitals lack the capacity to follow up with patients after discharge. Patient navigation (PN) interventions following hospital discharge can help patients engage in OAT and navigate complex systems of care. However, challenges persist in implementing PN interventions on a wide scale, as they require coordination across organizations,…