Publications

The Michigan Opioid Collaborative: Increasing access to medications to treat opioid use disorder

Sheba Sethi, MD, Lewei A. Lin, MD, MS, Cara Poland, MD, MEd, Christopher J. Frank, MD, PhD, Debra A. Pinals, MD, Amy S.B. Bohnert PhD

Abstract

Addressing gaps in access to medication treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD) is critical to the response to the rise in opioid-related mortality in the United States. Here we describe the establishment of the Michigan Opioid Collaborative (MOC), a statewide program that supports clinicians and clinics to prescribe medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD). MOC offers several services: (a) Behavioral Health Consultants (BHCs) located within communities to conduct outreach to clinicians and provide direct clinic support with referrals to treatment and other community resources; (b) technical assistance to support clinics to start prescribing MOUD treatment; (c) same-day case consultation by addiction specialists; and (d) providing education to clinicians and communities to improve OUD treatment. MOC provides timely and remote consultation to clinicians to increase access to MOUD and improve care for patients with OUD across Michigan.