A mobile team offering medication treatment to people with opioid use disorder showed promise in getting patients in Philadelphia to return for follow-up visits, according to a peer-reviewed study I co-authored that was released in the September 2024 issue of the Journal of Substance Use and Addiction Treatment.
The team, which includes a physician, case manager and outreach workers who have personal experiences with substance use disorder, worked out of a van parked at six sites in neighborhoods that have high rates of fatal and nonfatal overdoses. The goal was to get patients same-day prescriptions for buprenorphine, a lifesaving medication that treats opioid use disorder. The van is operated by Prevention Point Philadelphia, a nonprofit, harm-reduction group that serves people experiencing homelessness and substance use disorder.
