Review Article, J Addict Behav Ther Rehabil Vol: 4 Issue: 2
Opioid Use Disorder During and After Acute Hospitalization: A Case-Based Review Clarifying Methadone Regulation for Acute Care Settings
| Amanda Noska1,2*, Aron Mohan1, Sarah Wakeman3,4, Josiah Rich1,2 and Amy Boutwell3-5 | |
| 1Brown University and Warren Alpert Medical School, Providence, RI, USA | |
| 2Lifespan Corporation, Rhode Island Hospital and The Miriam Hospital, Providence, RI, USA | |
| 3Massachusetts General Hospital, Department of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA | |
| 4Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA | |
| 5Collaborative Healthcare Strategies, Lexington, MA, USA | |
| Corresponding author : Amanda Noska, MD, MPH 1125 North Main St., Providence, RI 02904, USA Tel: (401) 793-2928; Fax: (401) 793-7401 E-mail: amanda_noska@brown.edu |
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| Received: March 02, 2015 Accepted: April 28, 2015 Published: April 30, 2015 | |
| Citation: Noska A, Mohan A, Wakeman S, Rich J, Boutwell A (2015) Managing Opioid Use Disorder During and After Acute Hospitalization: A Case-Based Review Clarifying Methadone Regulation for Acute Care Settings. J Addict Behav Ther Rehabil 4:2. doi:10.4172/2324-9005.1000138 |
Abstract
Managing Opioid Use Disorder During and After Acute Hospitalization: A Case-Based Review Clarifying Methadone Regulation for Acute Care Settings
Objective: Treatment with an opioid agonist such as methadone or buprenorphine is the standard of care for opioid use disorder. Persons with opioid use disorder are frequently hospitalized, and may be undertreated due to provider misinformation regarding the legality of prescribing methadone for inpatients. Using a casebased review, this article aims to describe effective management of active opioid withdrawal and ongoing opioid use disorder using methadone or buprenorphine among acutely ill, hospitalized patients. Methods: We reviewed pertinent medical and legal literature and consulted with national legal experts regarding methadone for opioid withdrawal and opioid maintenance therapy in hospitalized, general medical and surgical patients, and describe a real-life example of successful implementation of inpatient methadone for these purposes.
