A new study shows that treating opioid use disorder with buprenorphine during pregnancy significantly reduces the risk of preterm birth, NICU stays, and severe maternal complications. Here’s what it m...

Officials report 100% satisfaction rate among participants in jail's MAT program.

Background: Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) is an effective strategy for treating opioid use disorder (OUD) and reducing opioid-related overdose deaths, yet retention in treatment remains low. Mobile health (mHealth) platforms may be a useful tool for increasing long-term engagement in MAT programs, but evaluation studies of such platforms are limited. Objective: This study aimed to determine if use of the Opioid Addiction Recovery Support (OARS) software platform increased MAT engagement for patients with OUD. Methods: The Technology Improving Success of Medication-Assisted Treatment in Primary Care Study was a quasi-experimental study conducted at a primary care clinic in the United States between January 2021 and February 2022. OARS is a software platform and mobile application (Q2i, LLC) that includes a dashboard of real-time appointment attendance, urine toxicology results, and educational content as well as messaging and journaling features. All patients who were invited to use OARS and had available data across the study were included in the analysis. The primary outcomes were engagement in treatment as defined by a no more than 35-day gap in appointment attendance and urine toxicology (UTOX). Changes in treatment engagement between the treatment as usual (TAU) period and OARS intervention period were assessed using the effect size (Cohen’s g) and McNemar’s chi-squared test of discordant pairs. Results: Among 205 patients invited to use OARS, 123 had available data and were thus included in the analysis. The median age was 37 years old (IQR: 31 – 42.5 years old), 61% (n=75) identified as men, and 95.1% (n=117) identified as non-Hispanic White. There were no statistically significant differences in demographic characteristics for patients who used OARS on more than one day compared to patients who used OARS on zero or one days, or patients who did vs. did not have available data. Among all patients, 20% were engaged in appointment attendance during TAU only compared to 27% during OARS only (g=0.07, p=0.36), and 13% were engaged in UTOX during TAU only and 33% during OARS only (g=0.21, p=

San Francisco paramedics excel in buprenorphine use despite challenges in overdose situations.

Council debates zoning for opioid treatment centers amid concerns about accessibility and proliferation.

Carroll County officials address financial constraints and court-ordered treatment for substance abuse.

Commission allocates new budget funds and approves various development projects in Gaston County.

(DURHAM, NC) An experimental drug developed at Duke University School of Medicine could offer powerful pain relief without the dangerous side effects of opioids.

YouTube video by Alpha Healing Center

Emergency departments (EDs) may be the primary, and sometimes only, connection to the healthcare system for people with opioid use disorder (OUD) or opioid overdose,[1] making them important sites in ...

YouTube video by The Wall Street Journal

Dr. Chapman addresses opioid treatment difficulties due to inconsistent Medicaid reimbursement practices.

Pharmacists and pharmacy technicians can now supply take-home supplies of naloxone without a prescription, after amendments to legislation came into force on 2 December 2024. Naloxone is an injectable...

Anna Zang and Eustace win matches to advance to semifinals at Grama Charity Classic.

Rogers urges city to address family structure challenges for children affected by opioids.

A good night’s sleep often sets the stage for a positive day. But for the nearly quarter of American adults struggling with mental illness, a good night’s rest is often elusive. For patients with...

Programs aim to streamline funding for housing and mental health services amid rising opioid use.