Emergency Department Connection to Care with Buprenorphine for Opioid Use Disorder (ED-CONNECT)

The opioid epidemic has reached a critical state, drawing widespread attention and support to address this public health crisis.  For many reasons, the Emergency Department (ED) is a critical venue to initiate opioid use disorder (OUD) interventions.  ED patients have a disproportionately high prevalence of substance use disorders, are at an elevated risk of overdose, and many do not access healthcare elsewhere.  Despite this, OUD interventions are rarely initiated in EDs.  As a complement to the CTN-0069 project, this study will evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and impact of introducing a clinical protocol for OUD screening, buprenorphine (sublingual or extended-release) treatment initiation, and referral to ongoing OUD medication treatment in ED settings with high need, limited resources, and differing staffing structures.