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Introduction Methadone ameliorates opioid withdrawal among hospitalized patients with opioid use disorder (OUD). To continue methadone after hospital discharge, patients must enroll in an opioid treatment program (OTP) per federal regulations. Uncontrolled opioid withdrawal is a barrier to linkage from hospital to OTP. Aim Describe a federally compliant In-Hospital Methadone Enrollment Team (IN-MEET) that enrolls hospitalized patients with OUD into an OTP with facilitated hospital to OTP linkage. Setting Seven hundred-bed university hospital in Aurora, CO. Program Description A physician dually affiliated with a hospital’s addiction consultation service and a community OTP completes an in-hospital, face-to-face medical assessment required by federal law and titrates methadone to comfort. An OTP-affiliated nurse with hospital privileges completes a psychosocial evaluation and provides case management by arranging transportation and providing weekly telephone check-ins. Program Evaluation Metrics IN-MEET enrollments completed, hospital to OTP linkage, and descriptive characteristics of patients who completed IN-MEET enrollments compared to patients who completed community OTP enrollments. Results Between April 2019 and April 2023, our team completed 165 IN-MEET enrollments. Among a subset of 73 IN-MEET patients, 56 (76.7%) presented to the OTP following hospital discharge. Compared to community OTP enrolled patients ( n  = 1687), a higher percentage of IN-MEET patients were older (39.7 years, standard deviation [SD] 11.2 years vs. 36.1 years, SD 10.6 years) and were unhoused ( n  = 43, 58.9% vs. n  = 199, 11.8%). Compared to community OTP enrolled patients, a higher percentage of IN-MEET patients reported heroin or fentanyl as their primary substance ( n  = 53, 72.6% vs. n  = 677, 40.1%), reported methamphetamine as their secondary substance ( n  = 27, 37.0% vs. n  = 380, 22.5%), and reported they injected their primary substance ( n  = 46, 63.0% vs. n  = 478, 28.3%). Conclusion IN-MEET facilitates hospital to OTP linkage among a vulnerable population. This model has the potential to improve methadone access for hospitalized patients who may not otherwise seek out treatment.

The aims of this study were to examine the safety, feasibility, and efficacy of nicotine patch therapy in a population of adolescents in treatment for substance and behavioral problems. In addition, variables that predict smoking cessation were investigated. Demographic and descriptive variables were also compared among males and females. Participants participated in a 10-week treatment phase and were assessed at intake for substance dependence diagnoses, patterns of cigarette use and dependence symptoms, and other demographic and descriptive variables. Participants also completed a one-month follow-up interview. The majority of participants (68%) completed the 10-week protocol and 72% of participants were compliant with the treatment regimen. There were no reports of serious or life-threatening adverse events and no participant withdrew from the study because of problems related to the patch. Use of nicotine patch therapy is a safe and feasible option for adolescents interested in smoking cessation. Pairing nicotine patch therapy with behavioral treatment (i.e., cognitive behavioral therapy or contingency management) or other pharmacological treatments may improve efficacy rates. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)