Research to law: A qualitative study of Massachusetts' 2018 Care Act expanding emergency department initiation of medication for opioid use disorder.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Initiating medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) during emergency department (ED) visits is an important innovation to engage individuals in addiction treatment. In 2018, Massachusetts passed the CARE Act, becoming the first state to legislate that hospitals with EDs must be able to offer MOUD. We performed a qualitative study to explore factors influencing policy enactment.

Methods

Semi-structured interviews were conducted in 2019 with ten key stakeholders involved in the policymaking process representing state government, hospitals, physician professional societies, and recovery/behavioral health organizations. Data were analyzed in 2020-2021 using a hybrid inductive-deductive approach.

Results

The first key theme stakeholders expressed was the import

SUBMITTER: Alinsky RH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9398949 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature