Hospital Addiction Consultation Services For New York Medicaid Beneficiaries With Opioid Use Disorder Reduced Emergency Department Visits

In-hospital addiction consultation services following an acute event related to opioid use disorder (OUD) or opioid overdose reduced later emergency department visits among Medicaid beneficiaries, according to results from a clinical trial at six New York City public hospitals that implemented the Consult for Addiction Treatment and Care in Hospitals (CATCH) program. Outcomes were compared to a group of hospitals that provided treatment as usual.

For the CATCH program, the team-based consultation services approach provided inpatient addiction consultation, diagnosis, and specialty care. Team members included a medical clinician, a social worker or addiction counselor, and a peer counselor . . .