# Opioid Use Disorder * **Definition:** A medical condition characterized by an individual's inability to control their use of opioid drugs, leading to significant impairment or distress, and often requiring treatment to manage cravings and withdrawal symptoms. * **Taxonomy:** Healthcare Topics / Opioid Use Disorder ## News * Selected news on the topic of **Opioid Use Disorder**, for healthcare technology leaders * 3.4K news items are in the system for this topic * Posts have been filtered for tech and healthcare-related keywords | Date | Title | Source | | --- | --- | --- | | 5/21/2025 | [**The cost of opioid use disorder, by state**](https://www.beckersbehavioralhealth.com/behavioral-health-public-health/the-cost-of-opioid-use-disorder-by-state/) | [[Beckers Behavioral Health]] | | 5/19/2025 | [**Boulder Care's new VP of growth partnerships is doubling down on Medicaid, VBC**](https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/digital-health/boulder-care-announces-new-vp-growth-partnerships-overseeing-payers) | [[FierceHealthcare]] | | 4/29/2025 | [**DiMe Launches Partnerships to Combat Opioid Relapse Using Wearables**](https://hitconsultant.net/2025/04/29/dime-launches-partnerships-to-combat-opioid-relapse-using-wearables/) | [[HIT Consultant]] | | 4/15/2025 | [**NYC 'Hotspotting' Pilot to Address Opioid Use Disorder in the ED - Healthcare Innovation**](https://www.hcinnovationgroup.com/population-health-management/behavioral-health/news/55283269/nyc-hotspotting-pilot-to-address-opioid-use-disorder-in-the-ed) | [[Healthcare Innovation]] | | 4/9/2025 | [**NCQA Issues Health Care Recommendations for the Trump Administration - Yahoo Finance**](https://finance.yahoo.com/news/ncqa-issues-health-care-recommendations-131500052.html) | [[Yahoo Finance]] | | 4/7/2025 | [**Hospital addiction consultation service boosts treatment initiation for opioid use disorder**](https://www.news-medical.net/news/20250407/Hospital-addiction-consultation-service-boosts-treatment-initiation-for-opioid-use-disorder.aspx) | [[News Medical Net]] | | 4/4/2025 | [**AI screening for opioid use disorder associated with fewer hospital readmissions**](https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-04-ai-screening-opioid-disorder-hospital.html) | [[MedicalXpress]] | | 4/3/2025 | [**NIH trial demonstrates AI's effectiveness in opioid use disorder care**](https://www.news-medical.net/news/20250403/NIH-trial-demonstrates-AIs-effectiveness-in-opioid-use-disorder-care.aspx) | [[News Medical Net]] | | 3/28/2025 | [**Empowering nurse practitioners to improve care for opioid use disorder**](https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-03-empowering-nurse-practitioners-opioid-disorder.html) | [[MedicalXpress]] | | 3/3/2025 | [**Opioid agonist treatment program prevents hundreds of suicides in Australia, says study**](https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-03-opioid-agonist-treatment-hundreds-suicides.html) | [[MedicalXpress]] | | 2/10/2025 | [**Opioid Use Disorders Market to Reach USD 8.8 Billion by 2034, Driven by Expanding ...**](https://finance.yahoo.com/news/opioid-disorders-market-reach-usd-151000806.html) | [[Yahoo Finance]] | | 1/29/2025 | [**Medicaid patients struggle with telehealth access for opioid treatment post-pandemic**](https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-01-medicaid-patients-struggle-telehealth-access.html) | [[MedicalXpress]] | | 1/29/2025 | [**Bicycle Health reached profitability as it raised $16.5 million to scale virtual opioid use disorder treatment to more patients nationally**](https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2025/01/29/3017521/0/en/Bicycle-Health-reached-profitability-as-it-raised-16-5-million-to-scale-virtual-opioid-use-disorder-treatment-to-more-patients-nationally.html) | [[Globe Newswire]] | | 12/10/2024 | [**MRI study reveals brain volume changes in opioid users**](https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-12-mri-reveals-brain-volume-opioid.html) | [[MedicalXpress]] | | 12/10/2024 | [**Structural and functional brain changes found in individuals with opioid use disorder**](https://www.news-medical.net/news/20241210/Structural-and-functional-brain-changes-found-in-individuals-with-opioid-use-disorder.aspx) | [[News Medical Net]] | | 11/1/2024 | [**Opioid Stewardship Pharmacists: More Than Just the Opioid Police**](https://www.pharmacytimes.com/view/opioid-stewardship-pharmacists-are-more-than-just-the-opioid-police) | [[Pharmacy Times]] | | 10/12/2024 | [**University of Michigan receives grant to study pain management in opioid use disorder**](https://www.news-medical.net/news/20241012/University-of-Michigan-receives-grant-to-study-pain-management-in-opioid-use-disorder.aspx) | [[News Medical Net]] | | 9/25/2024 | [**Higher doses of buprenorphine linked to lower emergency visits in opioid use disorder**](https://www.news-medical.net/news/20240925/Higher-doses-of-buprenorphine-linked-to-lower-emergency-visits-in-opioid-use-disorder.aspx) | [[News Medical Net]] | | 8/4/2024 | [**Bicycle Health**](https://medcitynews.com/tag/bicycle-health/) | [[MedCity News]] | | 7/29/2024 | [**Hospital-based addiction consult services show promise in improving opioid use disorder treatment uptake**](https://www.news-medical.net/news/20240729/Hospital-based-addiction-consult-services-show-promise-in-improving-opioid-use-disorder-treatment-uptake.aspx) | [[News Medical Net]] | | 7/24/2024 | [**Improving care for opioid use disorder through research into injection-related infections**](https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-07-opioid-disorder-infections.html) | [[MedicalXpress]] | | 7/24/2024 | [**Opioid use disorder medications underused after injection-related infections**](https://www.news-medical.net/news/20240724/Opioid-use-disorder-medications-underused-after-injection-related-infections.aspx) | [[News Medical Net]] | | 7/14/2024 | [**Thriveworks, Ophelia Team Up for Mental Health, OUD Support**](https://medcitynews.com/2024/07/thriveworks-ophelia-team-up-for-mental-health-oud-support/) | [[MedCity News]] | | 7/13/2023 | [**Myths about will power and moral weakness keep people with opioid use disorder from receiving effective medications like methadone, buprenorphine and naltrexone**](https://theconversation.com/myths-about-will-power-and-moral-weakness-keep-people-with-opioid-use-disorder-from-receiving-effective-medications-like-methadone-buprenorphine-and-naltrexone-207682) | [[The Conversation]] | | 6/14/2017 | [**Project ECHO: An Effective Means of Increasing Palliative Care Capacity**](https://www.ajmc.com/view/project-echo-an-effective-means-of-increasing-palliative-care-capacity) | [[AJMC]] | ## Topic Overview (Some LLM-derived content — please confirm with above primary sources) ### Key Players - **National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)**: Supports research and initiatives aimed at addressing opioid use disorder and its treatment. - **PursueCare**: A provider of digital therapeutics aimed at treating substance use disorders, including OUD. - **Yale School of Medicine**: Conducted research revealing structural and functional brain changes in individuals with opioid use disorder. - **UMass Chan Medical School**: Collaborating with local healthcare organizations to address health disparities among patients with opioid use disorders. - **Bicycle Health**: The largest provider of virtual opioid use disorder treatment in the U.S., focusing on evidence-based care and innovative technology. - **Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine**: Developing continuing education programs to increase treatment of opioid use disorders by primary care providers. - **Crossroads Treatment Centers**: Introduced long-acting injectable medications for opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment, focusing on improving patient adherence and outcomes. - **Oregon Health & Science University**: Conducted a study demonstrating the effectiveness of telehealth in treating opioid use disorder. - **OpiAID**: A company collaborating with Bicycle Health to explore the effectiveness of wearable technology in supporting opioid use disorder treatment. - **Indivior PLC**: A key player in the opioid use disorder treatment market, focusing on innovative medications. - **Pinnacle Treatment Centers**: A leading provider of substance abuse treatment services, including medication-assisted treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD). - **Wellpath**: A healthcare provider collaborating with Bicycle Health to offer virtual opioid use disorder support for individuals transitioning from incarceration. - **Acadia Healthcare**: Acquired opioid treatment program clinics in South Carolina to expand access to OUD treatment. - **DNA4Addiction**: A direct-to-consumer DNA testing service that assesses genetic predisposition to opioid use disorder, providing individuals with risk assessments. - **Adial Pharmaceuticals, Inc.**: A pharmaceutical company developing targeted treatments for addiction disorders, including opioid-related disorders. - **Thriveworks**: A mental health company that has partnered with Ophelia to facilitate referrals for patients with opioid use disorder and mental health care. - **Mount Sinai Health System**: Received funding to establish a coalition aimed at recruiting participants for opioid use disorder research. ### Partnerships and Collaborations - **University of Houston College of Pharmacy**: Developed the PhARM-OUD Guideline to assist pharmacists in treating opioid use disorder. - **Bicycle Health and Wellpath**: Collaborating to provide virtual opioid use disorder support for individuals in residential reentry centers, enhancing access to treatment post-incarceration. - **Bicycle Health and OpiAID**: Launching a research pilot to assess wearable technology's effectiveness in opioid use disorder treatment. - **Mount Sinai Health System and Weill Cornell Medicine**: Collaborating to recruit diverse participants for opioid use disorder research. - **Workit Health and Be Well Texas**: Collaboration to provide evidence-based treatment for uninsured Texans suffering from opioid use disorder. - **Thriveworks and Ophelia**: This partnership aims to facilitate referrals for patients needing opioid addiction treatment and extensive mental health care. - **NYU Grossman School of Medicine and NYC Public Hospital System**: Evaluating the CATCH program to improve post-discharge treatment uptake for opioid use disorder. - **DiMe and Duke University/Google Fitbit**: Partnering to utilize data from consumer wearables to predict and prevent opioid relapse. - **University of Massachusetts Amherst and Tufts Medical Center**: Conducting a study to provide HIV prevention and treatment for incarcerated individuals with opioid use disorders. - **ProofPilot and DiMe**: Collaborating to develop a digital tool to prevent OUD relapse by analyzing physiological signals and mental health characteristics. - **Hikma Pharmaceuticals and U.S. Government**: Partnering to promote naloxone awareness and training events to combat opioid overdose deaths. - **Pinnacle Treatment Centers and Aegis**: Collaboration to implement telehealth induction for medication-assisted treatment with methadone in California. - **NYC Health + Hospitals and Robin Hood Foundation**: Funding the 'Hotspotting' program to connect patients treated for opioid use in emergency departments with dedicated care teams. - **Nexalin Technology and Breaking Barriers Coalition**: Collaborating to deploy neurostimulation technologies for innovative OUD treatment. - **SpineThera and Mayo Clinic**: Collaborating to develop long-acting injectable drugs for improving treatment outcomes for substance abuse disorders. - **PursueCare and Pear Therapeutics**: PursueCare acquired digital therapeutics RESET and RESET-O, integrating them into its virtual treatment model. - **Talkspace and Bicycle Health**: Partnership aimed at expanding access to virtual care and mental health services for patients with substance use disorders. - **PursueCare and health plans**: Plans to utilize digital therapeutics in conjunction with comprehensive virtual treatment services. - **Humana and PsychArmor**: Partnering to train healthcare providers on veteran healthcare access barriers. ### Innovations, Trends, and Initiatives - **Machine Learning Applications**: Research on using machine learning to classify patients at varying risk levels for opioid use disorder. - **PhARM-OUD Guideline**: First consensus guideline for community pharmacists to improve access to buprenorphine for opioid use disorder. - **Telehealth for OUD**: Studies show higher retention rates in telehealth treatment for opioid use disorder compared to traditional in-person visits. - **Telehealth Services**: The expansion of telehealth services for opioid use disorder treatment, including virtual counseling and remote care. - **Updated Treatment Guidelines**: New evidence-based guidelines recommend buprenorphine and methadone as first-line treatments for opioid use disorder. - **Extended-Release Buprenorphine**: A new study shows that a seven-day extended-release version of buprenorphine is effective for treating individuals with opioid use disorder. - **Digital Toolkit Development**: A toolkit being developed to screen opioid use disorder patients for intimate partner violence and PTSD. - **Telemedicine for OUD**: Studies showing telemedicine referrals are more effective than in-person visits for initiating and maintaining medication-assisted treatment. - **AI-Driven Screening Tools**: Implementation of AI tools in hospitals to identify patients at risk for opioid use disorder, leading to reduced readmission rates and healthcare savings. - **Mobile Treatment Teams**: A mobile team in Philadelphia successfully provided medication treatment for opioid use disorder, demonstrating high follow-up visit rates. - **Telehealth for Opioid Treatment**: The Department of Health and Human Services has allowed practitioners in Opioid Treatment Programs to initiate treatment via telehealth, enhancing access. - **Semaglutide for OUD**: Research indicates that semaglutide, a diabetes medication, may significantly lower the risk of opioid overdoses in patients with OUD. - **Long-acting Injectable Medications**: Crossroads Treatment Centers introducing injectable buprenorphine to improve adherence in opioid use disorder recovery. - **Buprenorphine Treatment for Pregnant Women**: Research shows that buprenorphine significantly improves health outcomes for pregnant women with OUD and their infants. - **Wearable Technology in Treatment**: Bicycle Health's pilot study using smartwatches to collect biometric data for personalized opioid use disorder treatment. - **Telehealth Induction for Methadone**: Pinnacle Treatment Centers approved telehealth for methadone treatment, improving access to care for OUD. - **AI and Optimization Solutions**: Research from MIT and Princeton proposes AI-driven solutions for equitable access to treatment for opioid use disorder. - **Digital Therapeutics**: PursueCare re-released FDA-cleared digital therapeutics RESET and RESET-O for self-directed cognitive behavioral therapy for substance use disorders. ### Challenges and Concerns - **Access to Treatment**: Over 80% of individuals with opioid use disorder do not receive necessary medications, highlighting significant barriers to treatment. - **Underutilization of MOUD**: Despite the effectiveness of medications for opioid use disorder, they are underutilized in jails and prisons, contributing to high overdose rates post-release. - **Underutilization of Medications**: Despite the effectiveness of medications for opioid use disorder, many patients do not receive these treatments post-hospitalization. - **Stigma and Barriers to Care**: Ongoing stigma surrounding addiction and systemic barriers that prevent effective treatment and recovery for individuals with opioid use disorder. - **Stigma and Access**: Women with opioid use disorder face unique challenges and stigmas, particularly those involved in the criminal legal system, hindering access to treatment. - **Disparities in Treatment Access**: Research indicates that Medicare patients with opioid use disorder are less likely to be admitted to high-quality skilled nursing facilities. - **Rising Overdose Deaths**: Significant increases in opioid-related deaths highlight the urgent need for effective treatment options. - **Stigma and Knowledge Gaps**: Ongoing stigma surrounding opioid use disorder and a lack of knowledgeable prescribers hinder effective treatment. - **Awareness Gaps**: A national survey revealed that many Americans are unaware that primary care physicians can prescribe medications for opioid use disorder. - **Effectiveness of Genetic Testing**: Concerns about the reliability of genetic testing algorithms for predicting opioid use disorder risk. - **Regulatory Challenges**: Concerns regarding the DEA's telemedicine prescribing rules and the potential impact on access to opioid use disorder medications. - **DEA Regulations**: Concerns regarding the DEA's proposed regulations on telemedicine prescriptions for controlled substances, which may limit access to treatment for opioid use disorder. - **Insurance Barriers**: Low reimbursement rates and prior authorization requirements limit access to medication for opioid use disorder for Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries. - **Ongoing Overdose Crisis**: Despite a recent decline in overdose deaths, over 107,000 deaths were reported in 2023, highlighting the need for continued efforts in OUD treatment. - **Cost of OUD**: OUD is projected to cost the U.S. $3.8 trillion in 2024, highlighting the urgent need for effective interventions. - **Stigma and Misdiagnosis**: Stigma surrounding OUD and the complexity of diagnosing related conditions complicate treatment access and effectiveness. - **Disparities in Treatment**: Racial and gender disparities persist in access to OUD treatment, with non-Hispanic White adults more likely to receive care. - **Expiration of Telehealth Exemptions**: Concerns over the expiration of federal exemptions allowing telehealth treatment for opioid use disorder.