Counseling as a complement to buprenorphine treatment for opioid use disorder: A retrospective observational study of patient outcomes.

Introduction: This study investigated the clinical benefit of counseling as a complement to buprenorphine treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD). The research addresses a critical gap in understanding whether counseling, when received concurrently with buprenorphine, can enhance patient outcomes.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study using data from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health's Public Health Data Warehouse (PHD).

Strategies for improving treatment retention for buprenorphine/naloxone for opioid use disorder: a qualitative study of issues and recommendations from prescribers.

Background: Opioid use disorder (OUD) remains a significant public health issue as the number of opioid-related overdose deaths continues to reach new highs each year. Buprenorphine/Naloxone is a medication that has been shown to be highly effective for the treatment of OUD. However, the clinical management of patients on this medication is challenging as many patients discontinue treatment prematurely.

Risk factors for persistent fatal opioid-involved overdose clusters in Massachusetts 2011-2021: a spatial statistical analysis with socio-economic, accessibility, and prescription factors.

Background: Fatal opioid-involved overdose rates increased precipitously from 5.0 per 100,000 population to 33.5 in Massachusetts between 1999 and 2022.

Changes in opioid prescribing and prescription drug monitoring program utilization following electronic health record integration-Massachusetts, 2018.

Objective: In this study, we explored key prescription drug monitoring program-related outcomes among clinicians from a broad cohort of Massachusetts healthcare facilities following prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP) and electronic health record (EHR) data integration.

Methods: Outcomes included seven-day rolling averages of opioids prescribed, morphine milligram equivalents (MMEs) prescribed, and PDMP queries. We employed a longitudinal study design to analyze PDMP data over a 15-month study period which allowed for six and a half months of pre- and post-integration observations surrounding a two-month integration period.

Prescribed stimulant medications: Trends in the last decade, pre and post COVID-19 response.

Background: Recent studies indicate that COVID-19 has had a significant impact on access and continuity to opioid and benzodiazepine medications; little is known about its effect on access to and utilization of stimulant medications.

Objective: To investigate trends of dispensed stimulant medications in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic response.

Methods: Stimulant prescriptions dispensed during 2011-2021 were analyzed using the Massachusetts Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP), the state's data repository for all controlled substance medications dispensed to residents from retail pharmacies and out of state mail-order pharmacies.

Are There Differences in Opioid Prescriptions to Urban and Rural Patients by Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons in Massachusetts From 2011 to 2021?

Purpose: Oral-maxillofacial surgeons (OMSs) are frequent prescribers of opioid analgesics. It remains unclear if prescription patterns differ for urban versus rural patients, given potential differences in access to and delivery of care. This study aimed to characterize urban-rural differences in opioid analgesic prescriptions to patients in Massachusetts by OMSs from 2011 to 2021.

Treatment Experiences for Patients Receiving Buprenorphine/Naloxone for Opioid Use Disorder: A Qualitative Study of Patients' Perceptions and Attitudes.

Although buprenorphine/naloxone has been demonstrated to be an effective treatment for patients with opioid use disorder (OUD), treatment retention has been a challenge. This study extends what is presently a limited literature regarding patients' experiences with this medication and the implications for treatment retention. The study was conducted as a qualitative investigation of patients in treatment for OUD at the time of the study.

Long-term patient outcomes following buprenorphine/naloxone treatment for opioid use disorder: a retrospective analysis in a commercially insured population.

While buprenorphine/naloxone (buprenorphine) has been demonstrated to be an effective medication for treating opioid use disorder (OUD), an important question exists about how long patients should remain in treatment. To examine the relationship between treatment duration and patient outcomes for individuals with OUD who have been prescribed buprenorphine. We conducted a retrospective, longitudinal study using the Massachusetts All Payer Claims Database, 2013 to 2017.

Abrupt Discontinuation From Long-Term Opioid Therapy in Massachusetts, 2015-2018.

Introduction: In response to the opioid overdose crisis, providers were urged to taper and discontinue patients from long-term opioid therapy; however, abrupt discontinuation may lead to poor health outcomes. This study aims to determine abrupt and tapered discontinuation rates and identify the patient and provider characteristics associated with abrupt discontinuation.

Methods: Data were from the Massachusetts Prescription Monitoring Program, 2015-2018.

A machine learning based two-stage clinical decision support system for predicting patients' discontinuation from opioid use disorder treatment: retrospective observational study.

Background: Buprenorphine is a widely used treatment option for patients with opioid use disorder (OUD). Premature discontinuation from this treatment has many negative health and societal consequences.

Objective: To develop and evaluate a machine learning based two-stage clinical decision-making framework for predicting which patients will discontinue OUD treatment within less than a year.

A Novel Imputation Approach for Sharing Protected Public Health Data.

To develop an imputation method to produce estimates for suppressed values within a shared government administrative data set to facilitate accurate data sharing and statistical and spatial analyses. We developed an imputation approach that incorporated known features of suppressed Massachusetts surveillance data from 2011 to 2017 to predict missing values more precisely. Our methods for 35 de-identified opioid prescription data sets combined modified previous or next substitution followed by mean imputation and a count adjustment to estimate suppressed values before sharing.

Patterns of patient discontinuation from buprenorphine/naloxone treatment for opioid use disorder: A study of a commercially insured population in Massachusetts.

Background: Research has shown buprenorphine/naloxone to be an effective medication for treating individuals with opioid use disorder. At the same time, treatment discontinuation rates are reportedly high though much of the extant evidence comes from studies of the Medicaid population.

Objectives: To examine the pattern and determinants of buprenorphine/naloxone treatment discontinuation in a population of commercially insured individuals.

Opioid Prescribing After Implementation of Single Click Access to a State Prescription Drug Monitoring Program Database in a Health System's Electronic Health Record.

Objectives: To determine the effect of one-click integration of a state's prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP) on the number of PDMP searches and opioid prescriptions, stratified by specialty.

Methods: Our large health system worked with the state department of public health to integrate the PDMP with the electronic health record (EHR), which enabled providers to query the data with a single click inside the EHR environment. We evaluated Schedule II or III opioid prescriptions reported to the Massachusetts PDMP 6 months before (November 15, 2017-May 15, 2018) and 6 months after (May 16, 2018, to November 16, 2018) integration.

Opioid days' supply limits: an interrupted time-series analysis of opioid prescribing before and following a Massachusetts law.

: In 2016, Massachusetts passed the first-in-the-nation law limiting opioid naïve adults and all minors to a 7-day supply of opioids when prescribed in the outpatient setting.: We hypothesized this policy would be associated with declines in the percent of opioid prescriptions with more than a 7-day supply among opioid naïve adults and minors for select prescriber groups.: Interrupted time series analyses were conducted using measures from the Massachusetts Prescription Monitoring Program database for 2015 through 2017 (n = 13,672,325 opioid prescriptions; 54% to females).

Patterns of buprenorphine/naloxone prescribing: an analysis of claims data from Massachusetts.

The brand name Suboxone and its generic formulation buprenorphine/naloxone is a medication for treating opioid use disorder. While this medication has been shown to be effective, little research has examined the extent to which it is being prescribed and under what circumstances. This study examined patterns of prescription claims for buprenorphine/naloxone in terms of volume and associated clinical conditions.

Unsolicited Reporting to Prescribers of Opioid Analgesics by a State Prescription Drug Monitoring Program: An Observational Study with Matched Comparison Group.

Objective: State prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs) can help detect individuals with multiple provider episodes (MPEs; also referred to as doctor/pharmacy shopping), an indicator of prescription drug abuse and/or diversion. Although unsolicited reporting by PDMPs to prescribers of opioid analgesics is thought to be an important practice in reducing MPEs and the potential harm associated with them, evidence of its effectiveness is mixed. This exploratory research evaluates the impact of unsolicited reports sent by Massachusetts' PDMP to the prescribers of persons with MPEs.