Using Measurement-Based Care as a Precision Medicine Strategy for Substance Use Disorders

Precision medicine prioritizes characterization of individual patient parameters to optimize care and this review evaluates measurement-based care (MBC) as a strategy for doing so in the treatment of substance use disorders (SUD). Measurement-based care refers to the systematic use of validated assessments to inform diagnosis and treatment planning, with varying frequency of assessments. Despite the seemingly obvious grounds for the use of MBC in treating SUD, systematic implementation to date has been limited. Thus, the goal of this review is to evaluate efforts to date and to stimulate greater consideration of MBC models in addictions programs.

Data from two published randomized controlled trials and findings from pragmatic clinical research highlight the potential utility of MBC in the SUD treatment settings. Despite these findings, the existing literature indicates the high need for larger-scale clinical trials and quality improvement programs. Potential barriers to the implementation of MBC for SUD are outlined at the patient, provider, organization, and system levels, as well as the challenges associated with the use of MBC programs for clinical research. Critical thinking considerations and risk mitigation strategies are offered toward advancing MBC for SUD beyond the current nascent state. Collectively, the existing data confirm that MBC is a suitable and promising strategy for applying a precision medicine approach in SUD treatment, warranting further implementation efforts and scientific inquiry.