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- Title
Implementing harm reduction kits in an office-based addiction treatment program.
- Authors
Shang, Margaret; Thiel, Brent; Liebschutz, Jane M.; Kraemer, Kevin L.; Freund, Ariana; Jawa, Raagini
- Abstract
Background: The rising rates of drug use-related complications call for a paradigm shift in the care for people who use drugs. While addiction treatment and harm reduction have historically been siloed in the US, co-location of these services in office-based addiction treatment (OBAT) settings offers a more realistic and patient-centered approach. We describe a quality improvement program on integrating harm reduction kits into an urban OBAT clinic. Methods: After engaging appropriate stakeholders and delivering clinician and staff trainings on safer use best practices, we developed a clinical workflow for universal offering and distribution of pre-packaged kits coupled with patient-facing educational handouts. We assessed: (1) kit uptake with kit number and types distributed; and (2) implementation outcomes of feasibility, acceptability, appropriateness, and patient perceptions. Results: One-month post-implementation, 28% (40/141) of completed in-person visits had at least one kit request, and a total of 121 kits were distributed. Staff and clinicians found the program to be highly feasible, acceptable, and appropriate, and patient perceptions were positive. Conclusions: Incorporating kits in OBAT settings is an important step toward increasing patient access and utilization of life-saving services. Our program uncovered a significant unmet need among our patients, suggesting that kit integration within addiction treatment can improve the standard of care for people who use drugs.
- Subjects
TREATMENT of addictions; HARM reduction; TREATMENT programs; PATIENTS' attitudes; CARE of people; DRUG abuse treatment
- Publication
Harm Reduction Journal, 2023, Vol 20, Issue 1, p1
- ISSN
1477-7517
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1186/s12954-023-00897-5