What Matters Most When Visiting a Rapid Access Addiction Medicine Clinic in Canada for Alcohol Use Care: A National eDelphi Study: Ce qui compte le plus lorsque l'on visite une clinique d'accès rapide au traitement médical de la toxicomanie (RAAM) au Canada pour des soins liés à la consommation d'alcool : une étude eDelphi nationale.

Abstract

ObjectiveThis study explored the importance of various aspects of Rapid Access Addiction Medicine (RAAM) based care for alcohol use health from the perspectives of people across Canada, including those who had and had not accessed RAAM services.DesignParticipants (n = 160) responded to items in rounds of an eDelphi survey, with each progressive round aiming to reach a consensus on the most important components of care at a RAAM clinic. Thirty-eight evidence-informed components were organized into five domains of healthcare accessibility. Ranking was conducted on a 5-point scale, with options ranging from "not at all important" to "critical". Consensus was defined a priori as 75% or greater ranking agreement. The survey was designed to close after 10 components reached consensus or following four rounds.ResultsEighty-nine participants (mean AUDIT = 13.9, SD = 5.4; mean age = 53.1, SD = 16.1; women = 43%) completed three rounds of the eDelphi. Seven per cent of participants reported having visited a RAAM clinic. The top ten components of care included compassionate care, RAAM team collaboration and effective communication, prompt care, low costs, easy contact, accessible clinic information, strength-focused care, shared decision making and availability of services for individuals across the substance use health spectrum.ConclusionsFindings highlight client-prioritized features of alcohol use health services and offer actionable insights that can help enhance care across care settings. Future research should focus on under-represented populations to ensure that their specific needs are addressed and incorporated into service planning and policy development.Plain Language Summary TitleWhat Matters Most About Alcohol Use Health Services? Insights from People Across Canada.