Project COPE

The COVID-19 pandemic occurred in the midst of a national opioid crisis and posed a significant risk for individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD). Medication-assisted treatment (MAT), the gold-standard for treating OUD,1 involves daily medication like methadone and buprenorphine, close medication monitoring, and counseling sessions, which were all typically occurring in person. These medications are subject to receive even greater federal regulations than for example, medications for alcohol use disorder. At the start of the pandemic, modifications to the current regulations allowed for greater flexibility through telehealth and longer dosing periods. Our mixed-methods study has three specific aims:

Patients with OUD across three healthcare systems will be engaged in all steps of the research, including influencing the research design, assisting in determining key variables for Aims 1 and 2, collaborating in drafting our interview scripts for Aim 3, and assisting in interpreting our results and disseminating findings to patient stakeholders.