Patterns of Health Care Use 5 Years After an Intervention Linking Patients in Addiction Treatment with a Primary Care Practitioner

Authors
Esti Iturralde
Constance M. Weisner
Sara R. Adams
Felicia W. Chi
Thekla B. Ross
Sarah F. Cunningham
Murtuza Ghadiali
Asma H. Asyyed
Derek D. Satre
Cynthia I. Campbell
Stacy A. Sterling
Peer-Reviewed Article
June 2021

Headline

A patient intervention that supported in outpatient addiction treatment and emphasizing destigmatized conversations about substance use between patients and primary care providers showed long-term benefits.

Context

Many people with substance use disorders (SUD) experience barriers to engaging with primary care after addiction treatment, due to stigma associated with SUD as well as difficulties in coordinating care across addiction treatment staff and primary care providers. The LINKAGE intervention was designed to connect patients who were participating in addiction treatment to primary care providers through six sessions of a group-based, patient skill-building program embedded in outpatient addiction treatment. This study analyzes five-year follow-up data of a nonrandomized controlled trial to explore how LINKAGE affected long-term engagement with primary care.

Findings

LINKAGE participants (as compared to patients who received usual care) had positive outcomes at six months and then continuing over five years. Participants showed increased rates of patient activation and engagement, as measured by electronic patient portal use and discussions of SUD issues with a primary care provider. Participants also had small but statistically significant changes in their health care utilization, including increased primary care and lower substance use-related emergency department visits.

Takeaways

Providers and other stakeholders can apply these findings when designing approaches to improve long-term health outcomes for people with substance use disorders, especially to improve primary care engagement.

Posted to The Playbook on
Level of Evidence
Strong
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