Medications for opioid use disorder in professional recovery programs in the United States: Policies and recommendation patterns.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to describe current policies and clinician recommendation patterns for MOUD in PRPs. A survey was developed and pretested during 2 live interviews with PRP directors in Texas. The final survey focused on collecting data for each form of MOUD approved by the FDA: methadone (MTD), buprenorphine (BUP), and naltrexone (NTX). Data were collected in relation to participants in 2 scenarios: (1) not practicing, and (2) returning to practice. The survey was constructed and disseminated using online software (Qualtrics, Provo, Utah). Email addresses and phone numbers were compiled for PRPs serving physicians, pharmacists, and nurses in all 50 US states. If a PRP could not be identified, the state board was listed instead. Administration of PRPs varies between states, with some serving multiple health professions, so the survey allowed respondents to select multiple professions served with pertinent survey items repeated to obtain distinct responses for each profession. A unique survey link was emailed to each program on September 12, 2022, and a follow-up call was conducted within 1 week to confirm receipt and encourage completion. Two reminder emails were sent to noncompleters, and the survey closed on October 4, 2022. Respondents could enter a raffle for one of five $50 gift cards. This study was deemed exempt by The University of Texas at Austin Institutional Review Board.