We ask authors to describe their impressions regarding the implications of their accepted work, how their findings will change practice, and what is noteworthy about the work.
Medication-assisted treatment for substance use disorders within a national community health center research network
Traci Rieckmann, John Muench, Mary Ann McBurnie, Michael C. Leo, Phillip Crawford, Daren Ford, Jennifer Stubbs, Conall O’Cleirigh, Kenneth H. Mayer, Kevin Fiscella, Nicole Wright, Maya Doe-Simkins, Matthew Cuddeback, Elizabeth Salisbury-Afshar, and Christine Nelson
Substance Abuse Vol. 37 , Iss. 4,2016
Our manuscript details a descriptive research study about care for substance use disorders in non-specialty settings; we examine prevalence rates, patient characteristics, utilization of medication assisted treatments, and screening for safety net patients from a national network of community health centers. Findings from this study provide important information about the low rates of use of medication assisted treatments in primary care settings, and also provide insights into the characteristics and care for uninsured patients, a population often overlooked in most studies utilizing insurance claims data. The implications of these findings include a focused understanding of the treatment needs and future steps that need to be taken in order to adequately address substance use disorders in safety net populations.
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Our newly released issue is now online —> January-April 2017.
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