Building Physician Confidence in Providing Medication for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD)

Addiction is a treatable, chronic medical disease involving complex interactions among brain circuits, genetics, the environment, and one’s life experiences - yet viewed by too many, including physicians, as a moral failing. Way too many patients living with opioid use disorder (OUD) are not receiving treatment - easy, effective treatment that has been shown to save lives. Despite evidence that medications for addiction treatment (MAT) are effective and represent an overall costsaving method for treating OUD, 60-80% of people who use opioids do not have access to these medications. (https:// www.ajpmonline.org/article/S0749-3797(18)30074-6/fulltext)

The opioid crisis has certainly not gone away, and deaths continue to skyrocket which is why in December, 2022, President Biden signed the Mainstreaming Addiction Treatment (MAT) and Medication Access and Training Expansion (MATE) Acts. These bills were passed to expand access to buprenorphine for the treatment of opioid use disorder and normalize and enhance substance use care across healthcare settings.

MAT allows for any California provider who has a current DEA registration that includes Schedule III authority to now prescribe buprenorphine for OUD.

Effective June 27, 2023, MATE requires new or renewing DEA registrants to attest one time to having received 8 hours of training on opioid or other substance use disorders through an accredited source, like the CAFP. Previous training received, including the DATA-2000 waiver training to prescribe buprenorphine counts towards this requirement. Training hours do not have to be completed in one session and can be satisfied through cumulative sessions. This is meant to provide clinicians with a basic understanding of OUD and hopefully, inspire many more to start saving lives and providing important treatment.

Every a primary care provider needs to learn how to talk to patients about drug use without judgment so that we can even identify those in need of treatment. Reinforcing the stigma around people who use drugs may drive them away before treatment can even begin. There are resources and tools to help ease the transition toward compassionate understanding and careful conversation around opioid use. Showing respect and promoting health and dignity with all patients is important - but especially vital with your patients who use drugs.

CAFP is moving full speed ahead to share education and resources about Opioid Use Disorder (OUD), and especially about medication for OUD and why more family physicians need to provide these services. If you haven’t already done so, please access the resources, tools, and education all accessible through https://familydocs.org/sud:

The Family Docs Podcast, OUD Series – Four episodes featuring CAFP members talking about the nitty gritty of MOUD

MOUD Champions Network – Connecting those experienced in MOUD with those just getting started. Sign up as a Champion to help advance healing!

CME about SUD, OUD, and MOUD – CAFP has over fourteen hours of accredited education available to you through our Homeroom learning system.

And now you can add Family Medicine POP to the list! POP will feature over three hours of OUD programming, including a main stage session, Sunday morning table talk with colleagues, and the optional Saturday afternoon two-hour FDA-REMS approved CME workshop, Pain Management and Opioids: Balancing the Risks and Benefits, free of charge to attendees. Building confidence in MOUD – that’s one great reason among many to come to Family Medicine POP this August. See you there!

Job Title: Family Medicine Physician

Location: Anaheim and Santa Ana, CA

Job type: Per Diem

Job category: Medical/Clinical Providers

UCI Family Medicine is recruiting staff physicians to provide patient care within our clinics. We are seeking per-diem physicians who are interested in a flexible schedule.

Candidates who are interested in part-time work, and/or who are senior residents or fellows who are expected to complete training in June ’23 are encouraged to apply. This position pays an hourly rate of $110.25.

Requirements:

• Family physician; board-certified, full-scope ambulatory health care services including care of children, adults and the elderly

• Experienced in providing and/or oversight of pre-natal care

• Leadership skills; ability to motivate, inspire, communicate with faculty, residents, staff, and peers to maintain a professional, team-based approach in the care of patients

• Proficiency in Spanish (preferred)

• M.D. or D.O. from an accredited institution with appropriate clinical training and experience.

Application URL (Job ID: 50694-1A): https://careersucirvine.ttcportals.com/ EOE

Ronald Labuguen, MD CAFP Foundation President