Clinician and Practice Characteristics Associated With Support of Office-Based Methadone: Findings From a National Survey.

Abstract

Background: Alternative models for methadone delivery outside of federal and state-regulated opioid treatment programs may improve access. We determined factors associated with clinician support for continuing office-based methadone.

Methods: We used data from the electronic Opioid Use Disorder Provider COVID-19 Survey conducted among X-waivered clinicians who were providing outpatient, longitudinal treatment of opioid use disorder (OUD) from July 2020 to August 2020. The outcome variable was selecting "The opportunity for patients to receive office-based methadone" when asked "Which pandemic-related policy changes or new policy changes would you like to be continued or started after the pandemic?" Using sequential multivariable logistic regression modeling, we estimated the association between clinician and practice characteristics and support for office-based methadone.

Results: Of 1900 respondents, 728 met the inclusion criteria. Twenty-eight percent indicated support for office-based methadone. Clinician characteristics associated with support for office-based methadone were being Black or African American versus White (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] [95% confidence interval (CI)], 2.88 [1.19-6.98]), having provided medications for OUD (MOUD) for >15 years versus ≤15 years (AOR [95% CI], 1.66 [1.02-2.68]), treating 51 to 100 patients with MOUD monthly versus <25 patients (AOR [95% CI], 1.79 [1.04-3.09]), providing methadone (AOR [95% CI], 1.71 [1.03-2.85]) versus not providing MOUD previously, and working in an academic medical center versus other settings (AOR [95% CI], 1.88 [1.11-3.16]).

Conclusions: A minority of surveyed X-waivered clinicians supported office-based methadone. Efforts to expand access to methadone via office-based settings should address implementation barriers.