Multifaceted Quality Improvement Initiative Improves Retention in Treatment for Youth with Opioid Use Disorder

There is a critical need to develop interventions that help adolescents and young adults with opioid use disorders (OUDs) connect with, engage in, and remain consistent with the treatment given that patients who develop long-term OUDs experience long-term medical and mental health sequelae.

We implemented quality improvement (QI) processes to increase early engagement and 6-month retention within a medication-assisted treatment clinic for youth with OUDs. QI interventions included motivational interviewing (MI) staff training, implementation of reduced initial treatment requirements, reduction of access barriers to treatment, and enhancement of patient treatment motivation. We monitored the impact of the interventions via a p-chart.

A statistically significant shift was seen in the 6-month retention rate following both MI staff training and the use of reduced initial treatment requirements. Second visit return rate also experienced a statistically significant shift following transportation support and an incentive program.

Our data demonstrate that following MI staff training, reduced initial clinic requirements, transportation support, and utilization of an incentive program, the second visit return rate, and 6-month retention rate improved within an outpatient medication-assisted treatment clinic for youth with OUDs.