TY - JOUR
KW - buprenorphine
KW - Harm Reduction
KW - opioid use disorder
KW - primary care
KW - qualitative
AU - S. N. Kapadia
AU - J. L. Griffin
AU - J. Waldman
AU - N. R. Ziebarth
AU - B. R. Schackman
AU - C. N. Behrends
A1 - 
AB - BACKGROUND: Stigma is a barrier to the uptake of buprenorphine to treat opioid use disorder. Harm reduction treatment models intend to minimize this stigma by organizing care around non-judgmental interactions with people who use drugs. There are few examples of implementing buprenorphine treatment using a harm reduction approach in a primary care setting in the USA. METHODS: We conducted a qualitative study by interviewing leadership, staff, and external stakeholders at Respectful, Equitable Access to Compassionate Healthcare (REACH) Medical in Ithaca, NY. REACH is a freestanding medical practice that provides buprenorphine treatment for opioid use disorder since 2018. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 17 participants with the objective of describing REACH's model of care. We selected participants based on their position at REACH or in the community. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed for themes using content analysis, guided by the CDC Evaluation Framework. RESULTS: REACH provided buprenorphine, primary care, and mental health services in a low-threshold model. We identified three themes related to delivery of buprenorphine treatment. First, an organizational mission to provide equitable and low-stigma healthcare, which was a key to organizational identity. Second, a low-threshold buprenorphine treatment approach that was critical, but caused concern about over-prescribing and presented logistical challenges. Third, creation and retention of a harm reduction-oriented workforce by offering value-based work and by removing administrative barriers providers may face elsewhere to providing buprenorphine treatment. CONCLUSIONS: A harm reduction primary care model can help reduce stigma for people who use drugs and engage in buprenorphine treatment. Further research is needed to evaluate whether this model leads to improved patient outcomes, can overcome community stakeholder concerns, and is sustainable.
AD - Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA. shk9078@med.cornell.edu.; Department of Population Health Sciences, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA. shk9078@med.cornell.edu.; Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA.; REACH Medical, Ithaca, NY, USA.; REACH Medical, Ithaca, NY, USA.; Department of Policy Analysis and Management, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA.; Department of Population Health Sciences, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA.; Department of Population Health Sciences, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
BT - Journal of general internal medicine
C5 - Education & Workforce; Opioids & Substance Use
DO - 10.1007/s11606-020-06409-6
JF - Journal of general internal medicine
LA - eng
M1 - Journal Article
N2 - BACKGROUND: Stigma is a barrier to the uptake of buprenorphine to treat opioid use disorder. Harm reduction treatment models intend to minimize this stigma by organizing care around non-judgmental interactions with people who use drugs. There are few examples of implementing buprenorphine treatment using a harm reduction approach in a primary care setting in the USA. METHODS: We conducted a qualitative study by interviewing leadership, staff, and external stakeholders at Respectful, Equitable Access to Compassionate Healthcare (REACH) Medical in Ithaca, NY. REACH is a freestanding medical practice that provides buprenorphine treatment for opioid use disorder since 2018. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 17 participants with the objective of describing REACH's model of care. We selected participants based on their position at REACH or in the community. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed for themes using content analysis, guided by the CDC Evaluation Framework. RESULTS: REACH provided buprenorphine, primary care, and mental health services in a low-threshold model. We identified three themes related to delivery of buprenorphine treatment. First, an organizational mission to provide equitable and low-stigma healthcare, which was a key to organizational identity. Second, a low-threshold buprenorphine treatment approach that was critical, but caused concern about over-prescribing and presented logistical challenges. Third, creation and retention of a harm reduction-oriented workforce by offering value-based work and by removing administrative barriers providers may face elsewhere to providing buprenorphine treatment. CONCLUSIONS: A harm reduction primary care model can help reduce stigma for people who use drugs and engage in buprenorphine treatment. Further research is needed to evaluate whether this model leads to improved patient outcomes, can overcome community stakeholder concerns, and is sustainable.
PY - 2021
SN - 1525-1497; 0884-8734; 0884-8734
SP - 1
EP - 8
EP - 
T1 - A Harm Reduction Approach to Treating Opioid Use Disorder in an Independent Primary Care Practice: a Qualitative Study
T2 - Journal of general internal medicine
TI - A Harm Reduction Approach to Treating Opioid Use Disorder in an Independent Primary Care Practice: a Qualitative Study
U1 - Education & Workforce; Opioids & Substance Use
U2 - 33469774
U3 - 10.1007/s11606-020-06409-6
VO - 1525-1497; 0884-8734; 0884-8734
Y1 - 2021
Y2 - Jan 19
ER -