This pilot study evaluates the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effectiveness of mailing buprenorphine to individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD) following medical hospitalization. The intervention aims to improve retention in treatment by overcoming barriers such as transportation and pharmacy access.
This single-center, hybrid type 3 pilot study will enroll 20 medically hospitalized patients with OUD who are initiated on buprenorphine during their inpatient stay. Participants will be discharged with a supply of buprenorphine and enrolled in the MOUD Direct Delivery (MOUDDD) Program, which mails monthly refills directly to their homes. The study will evaluate the feasibility (successful delivery), acceptability (patient-reported measures), and preliminary effectiveness (treatment retention at 1, 3, and 6 months) of mailing buprenorphine. Secondary outcomes include quality of life, adherence, overdose, and healthcare utilization. The intervention leverages existing mail-order pharmacy protocols and aims to inform scalable strategies for improving transitions of care and retention in OUD treatment.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NA
Purpose
OTHER
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
20
This study examines the feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of mailing buprenorphine to overcome barriers such as transportation to obtaining buprenorphine from a pharmacy.
Medical University of South Carolina
Charleston, South Carolina, United States
NOT_YET_RECRUITINGMedical University of South Carolina
Charleston, South Carolina, United States
RECRUITINGFeasibility (successful receipt)
Successful delivery and receipt of medication defined by self-report and phone/text/video confirmation to receive code
Time frame: From enrollment to the end of the study at 6 months
Successful receipt
Feasibility is defined by the successful receipt of the buprenorphine prescriptions in the mail by the intended participants. Successful receipt defined by self-report and phone/text/video confirmation from participant. Delivery failure is defined as delay in receipt of medication by \>48 hours by the mail delivery service.
Time frame: From enrollment to the end of study at 6 months.
Retention in treatment
Preliminary effectiveness of mailing buprenorphine will be measured by retention in treatment. This is defined by the proportion of participants retained in buprenorphine treatment at 1,3, and 6 months after discharge.
Time frame: time of study enrollment to end of study at 6 months
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