AAFP NRN Partnering in Study to Examine MAT Methods for OUD

Family Physicians Invited to Participate in Research

November 11, 2020, 1:19 pm Michael Devitt -- The American Academy of Family Physicians National Research Network is recruiting family physicians to participate in a new study to compare the effectiveness of three methods for beginning medication-assisted treatment for opioid use disorder.

MAT, either as stand-alone care or in combination with counseling and behavioral therapies, has been shown to be effective in treating substance use disorders such as OUD. Medications such as buprenorphine, methadone and naltrexone often are used to treat opioid dependence and help patients achieve recovery, while naloxone is used to quickly reverse instances of opioid overdose.

Details and Objectives

Westfall explained to AAFP News that the HOMER trial originated from a prior study, “Implementing Technology and Medication-Assisted Treatment and Team Training in Rural Colorado,” which was aimed at increasing the use of MAT for OUD among rural practices in the state.

“We heard from many patients, physicians and practices questions about what is the best way to start a patient on treatment,” said Westfall. “The start of treatment for OUD is called induction and, while there are several evidence-based methods, there has not been a comparative effectiveness trial to determine the best method. Even more important may be identifying which patient is most likely to benefit from which induction method.”

Practices selected for participation in the HOMER trial will be asked to identify six to 20 patients who have opioid dependence or OUD and who have opted to receive MAT with buprenorphine.

Identified patients will then be randomized to receive MAT in one of three methods:

• office-based induction, during which patients discontinue opioid use, begin withdrawal and receive the first few doses of buprenorphine in the clinic setting, with additional monitoring from clinic staff and the prescribing physician;
• home induction, in which patients can stop opioids at any time and start buprenorphine when they reach the appropriate level of withdrawal; or
• telehealth induction, in which the patient undergoes the same process as an office-based induction, but from a location other than the clinic, with contact between patients, clinic staff and the prescribing physician by phone or video.

Induction, Westfall said, “is a crucial first step to long-term treatment. One must successfully complete MAT induction to move on to MAT stabilization and, ultimately, MAT maintenance.”

Westfall said that research to determine the best method of MAT induction is lacking, as is research that indicates which patients would derive the most benefit from each method.

As such, the HOMER study’s aims are to

• compare short-term stabilization and long-term maintenance treatment engagement in MAT among patients who receive home-based, office-based or telehealth induction; and
• identify which clinically relevant practice and patient characteristics are associated with successful long-term treatment.

Practices selected for participation will undergo training beginning in March 2021. During the trial, participating practices will have access to a variety of MAT resources, including treatment forms, protocols and guidelines.

Patient enrollment will occur for 12 months beginning in April 2021. Patients who participate in the trial will be monitored and their data tracked for nine months. During this time they will be asked to complete a series of surveys related to quality of life, self-reported opioid use and other measures. Clinic staff and prescribing physicians may also be asked to complete surveys or participate in interviews.

Overall, the trial will run for three years and is expected to enroll 1,200 to 1,400 patients to allow for attrition.

How You Can Participate

One hundred primary care practices throughout the United States are expected to be involved in the trial. Although the recruitment period runs through February 2021, FPs who want to participate are highly encouraged to submit a study interest form at their earliest convenience.

Westfall explained how FPs individually, and the specialty in general, could benefit from taking part in the study.

“Family doctors are on the front lines of the opioid epidemic,” Westfall said. “We see lots of patients with opioid use disorder, and many want to get help. Too often, the big universities do these studies on a very narrow spectrum of patients and just expect family doctors to use that evidence, but evidence created at the academic medical center may not actually be the best evidence for a primary care practice.”

Family physicians who want to know more about the study can contact the AAFP NRN directly for more information.