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Despite calls for clinicians to increase provision of naloxone and medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD; i.e., methadone and buprenorphine), adoption of these best practices has been limited. Two recent studies highlight the problem and its potential impact on people with addiction.
In a study of 300 emergency departments (EDs) across the U.S., researchers identified 6700 ED encounters involving patients with opioid use disorder who were discharged from the ED (about half of visits were for opioid overdose). Naloxone was provided in 28% of visits; MOUD was initiated in only 7% of eligible encounters (i.e., the patient was not currently on MOUD).
In a telephone survey of 2000 patients who used stimulants or opioids, over…