AHRQ Topic Brief Supports Primary Care Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder

The Role of Low-Threshold Treatment for Patients with OUD in Primary Care, a new topic brief from AHRQ’s Academy, helps primary care clinicians deliver low-threshold treatment for patients with opioid use disorder (OUD). The AHRQ Academy aims to promote and support the integration of behavioral health into primary and ambulatory care settings.

The topic brief notes that caring for patients with OUD is a natural fit for primary care and its fundamental strengths: respect for the patient, long-term clinical relationships, nonstigmatizing support, a degree of comfort with uncertainty and a focus on whole-person care. Low-threshold treatment emphasizes removing the barriers common to conventional OUD treatment and prioritizes “medication first” through prescribing buprenorphine.

Select to access The Role of Low-Threshold Treatment for Patients with OUD in Primary Care.