The University of Pittsburgh, NYU Grossman School of Medicine and the University of Arizona will assess the impact of COVID-19 measures on providers and at-risk opioid use disorder populations in Pennsylvania, New York and Arizona.
Antoine Douaihy, professor of psychiatry and medicine, and Janice Pringle, professor of pharmacy and therapeutics, are leading Pitt’s efforts.
In 2017, Pennsylvania designated 45 primary care providers, hospitals, community health centers and substance use disorder treatment providers as Centers of Excellence for Opioid Use Disorder. The University of Pittsburgh will examine how providers at these whole person, integrated care centers implemented COVID-19 policies related to providing medications for opioid use disorder and telehealth services. The project will look at the impact of temporary COVID-19 policies on opioid use disorder treatment, workforce morale and patient outcomes.
Pitt's researchers received $100,000 as a part of a larger project by the Foundation for Opioid Response Efforts to assess the impact of COVID-19 on opioid use disorder treatment and equity.