Office-based opioid treatment

Office-based opioid treatment Medication provided in a physician-based office or other approved health care setting. Opioid addiction Cluster of cognitive, behavioral, and physiologic symptoms resulting from continuation of opioid use despite significant related problems. 

The Continuing Care Phase focuses on medical follow up hy a primary care physician with occasional check ups with the Opioid Treatment Program or Office-Based Opioid Treatment and involvement and participation in recovery support groups. Follow-up care usually continues for an additional 6-12 months. 

The approval of buprenorphine for the office-based treatment of opioid dependence represents a major departure from the earlier methadone clinic system. Physicians with addiction specialist credentials or those who have completed 8 hours of approved training can become qualified to treat up to 30 patients in their private offices. Stable patients may be given prescriptions for up to a month of medication. The combination buprenorphine/naloxone tablet is expected to have minimal risk for diversion. When taken subhnguaUy, as prescribed, naloxone has minimal biologic activity and does not interfere with the buprenorphine dose. However, if an attempt is made to inject the drug, the addict will experience the full antagonist effect of the naloxone. 

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Ferner RE, Daniels AM Office-based treatment of opioid-dependent patients. N Engl J Med 2003 348 81. [PMID ... 

To qualify, physicians must be board certified in addiction medicine/psychiatry or hold other special credentials, and physicians are required to obtain 8 hours of authorized training before they can prescribe medications for office-based treatment of opioid dependence. They also must agree to treat no more than 30 opioid-dependent... 

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