OVERVIEW

Hospitalization is an increasingly frequent and costly occurrence among individuals with a substance use disorder. In some settings, while in hospital, individuals with a substance use disorder have access to evidence-based addiction care, though transitioning these individuals from acute to community settings remains a key clinical and research challenge. Specifically, patients may leave hospital against medical advice, be non-adherent to addiction care recommendations, and often require costly hospital readmissions. Addressing these challenges is critical, given the enormous cost implications and opportunity for more effective addiction services to reduce morbidity and mortality.

OBJECTIVES

The overall aim of this research project is to identify patient-specific and health-system-specific variables associated with key outcomes and cost drivers that will be amendable to intervention for improvement. In addition, the OPAC study seeks to:

1. Describe and characterize our existing addiction treatment system (i.e., define patterns of presentation among individuals accessing addiction treatment, determine acute care and community access of addiction treatment services, and characterize migration within the system).
2. Evaluate health service delivery of addiction treatment care and determine its impact on health outcomes and healthcare utilization among individuals with a substance use disorder.

PARTNERS

The OPAC Study uses confidential, de-identified database linkages to administrative and clinical health dataset to characterize patterns of service utilization and health outcomes over a five-year follow-up period. The OPAC study will access data from the following data stewards:

FUNDERS

• CRISM BC
• St. Paul’s Hospital Foundation
• Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research

CONTACT

OPAC Study Principal Investigator: Dr. Seonaid Nolan

To learn more about the OPAC Study, please contact:
Jeffrey Morgan, Research Coordinator.
Phone: (236) 886-6995
Email: [email protected]