Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To assess barriers to providing buprenorphine as medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) and identify differences among providers who prescribed buprenorphine more recently versus those who prescribed it less recently.
DESIGN: A 10-minute online survey was fielded between August and November 2021.
PARTICIPANTS: All Illinois providers (N = 2,996) who had a DATA-waiver to prescribe buprenorphine as MOUD were invited to complete an online survey; 623 (21 percent) completed the survey.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The survey measured provider-identified barriers to providing MOUD and collected suggestions to improve delivery. Barriers and suggestions for improvement were analyzed using weighted descriptive statistics. Weighted logistic regression analyses were conducted to determine differences between participants who prescribed buprenorphine more recently versus those who prescribed it less recently, as determined by prescriptions in the past year.
RESULTS: Among the 623 participants who completed the survey, 73.5 percent prescribed buprenorphine in the past year. Insufficient behavioral health treatment and insufficient training were frequently cited barriers. Compared to recent prescribers, participants who had not prescribed in the past year were six times more likely to report that their practice does not support MOUD providers (adjusted odds ratio: 6.20, p < .001). To improve prescribing capacity, participants requested training on prescribing to patients with comorbidities, assistance in identifying treatment options, and guidance on implementing MOUD in their practice.
CONCLUSIONS: While the DATA-waiver was eliminated, barriers to prescribing buprenorphine remain. This study contributes to understanding those barriers and, importantly, offers suggestions to expand prescribing through trainings and access to resources. As more providers are eligible to prescribe buprenorphine, practices, educational institutions, and decisionmakers must equip them with the support needed to care for patients with an opioid use disorder.