Opting into the Public List of DATA-Waivered Practitioners: Variations by Specialty, Treatment Capacity, and...

Although increased access to buprenorphine treatment for opioid use disorder is a central policy objective in addressing the US opioid overdose crisis, insufficient capacity for buprenorphine treatment exists relative to treatment need. Little is known about the characteristics of practitioners who opt into the public listing, an online list of Drug Addiction Treatment Act (DATA)-waivered practitioners provided by the US government, as compared to those who do not. In this cross-sectional study, we examined the association of public listing with practitioner demographic data, specialty, and treatment capacity.

We combined comprehensive prescriber databases including the National Plan and Provider Enumeration System, data on DATA-waivered practitioners, and an online list waivered practitioners in January 2020 using matching algorithms. We used nonadjusted group mean comparisons and multivariate logistic regressions for the statistical analyses of 60,113 US DATA-waivered practitioners.

Publicly listed waivered practitioners tended to have higher patient limits than non-listed practitioners. The proportions of psychiatrists among publicly listed practitioners were significantly lower than those of non-listed practitioners (6.6%, P < 0.001). Nonphysician prescribers, rural practitioners, male practitioners, and practitioners with fewer years of practice are overrepresented among publicly listed waivered practitioners.

As it is easier for patients to find buprenorphine treatment providers who are on this list, the list serves to expand buprenorphine utilization. SAMHSA should encourage providers to opt into the public list, focusing on psychiatrists and prescribers with lower patient limits, consider requiring inclusion in the list, or make inclusion an "opt out" rather than an "opt in" decision.