The System-Wide Medication for Opioid Use Disorder (SW-MOUD) program: A description of program implementation

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Addiction Medicine
• Public Health

Background:

• Medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) is effective but underutilized.
• Access barriers and fragmented care limit MOUD for opioid use disorder (OUD).
• Traditional MOUD programs operate in silos, hindering comprehensive patient care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the implementation of the System-Wide MOUD (SW-MOUD) program.
• To serve as a roadmap for other health systems to expand MOUD access.
• To improve continuous care for patients with OUD across healthcare settings.

Main Methods:

• Designed and implemented the SW-MOUD program across emergency, inpatient, and outpatient settings.
• Integrated program staff to coordinate patient care across different healthcare levels.
• Utilized a patient flow model, implementation timeline, and phased strategies (preparation, rollout, sustainability).

Main Results:

• The SW-MOUD program achieved 4,908 MOUD initiations in its first four years.
• The program expanded MOUD access across diverse clinical settings.
• Integrated care coordination was established across the health system.

Conclusions:

• Systematic delivery approaches can transform evidence-based treatments into improved patient outcomes.
• The SW-MOUD program provides a model for increasing MOUD access and coordinated care.
• This approach can be adapted to expand access for various treatment modalities by integrating care across system silos.