Pew Panel Outlines OUD Metrics That States Should Be Tracking

Recognizing substantial gaps between the number of individuals in the US who need treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD) and the number who receive it, Pew Charitable Trusts has published an issue brief outlining action items for states to develop a core set of metrics to track relevant data and take stock of addiction treatment within their borders.

While many states have dashboards for tracking overdose deaths, too few track statistics such as the number of residents who are diagnosed with OUD, the number of providers available to offer treatment services, use of FDA-approved medications, and treatment retention rates and outcomes.

In September 2021, Pew Charitable Trusts convened a panel of state and federal officials, individuals with lived experience of substance use, advocates, treatment providers, and health measurement and analytics experts. The panel identified the following core measures by which states should be tracking opioid use disorders:

• OUD diagnosis: Percentage of individuals with a documented OUD diagnosis
• Percentage of people assessed using a standardized screening tool: The Drug Abuse Screening Test (DAST) and Tobacco, Alcohol, Prescription Medication, and Other Substance Use (TAPS) tools were cited as options
• Use of pharmacotherapy for OUD: Percentage of diagnosed OUD patients receiving medication-assisted treatment (MAT)
• OUD provider availability: Number of providers and program who can offer medication for OUD
• Continuity of pharmacotherapy for OUD: Percentage of OUD patients who receive MAT for at least 6 months
• Initiation of and engagement in OUD treatment: Percentage of people who begin OUD treatment within 2 weeks of diagnosis, as well as percentage of people with at least 2 services within their first month after treatment initiation
• Follow-up after emergency department visit for substance use: Percentage of those receiving follow-up care for SUD or an overdose within 7 days, as well as those who are 30 days past visiting an ED for an SUD-related issue
• At least 1 patient-reported outcome measure: To be determined by each state, this is the percentage of individuals who have achieved an improved level of functioning or quality of life

Pew panelists also recommended that states develop a plan to review data collected through these measures, make it public, and adjust their policies over time.

“The year 2021 was the worst on record for fatal opioid overdoses,” the Pew panel concluded in its issue brief. “Yet when states use data to address this crisis, there are signs of hope. In Missouri, state officials used data to pinpoint and address racial disparities in access to treatment. In Rhode Island, metrics informed an effort to decrease the stigma of using lifesaving medications for opioid use disorder. And in Kentucky, data made the case for removing barriers to these medications, helping people to get care when they were ready.

“These examples show what’s possible when states collect and act on data. By using the Core OUD Treatment Measures to inform policy and practice, states can help transform their treatment systems to save lives.”

Reference

Pew Charitable Trusts. States should measure opioid use disorder treatment to improve outcomes. Pew Charitable Trusts. Published October 18, 2022.