RECADEMY Webinar Highlights System Transformation & ROI Strategies In Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) Treatment
[Gettysburg, PA] – March 7, 2026 – As health systems, provider organizations, and payers confront increasing clinical complexity, workforce constraints, and financial pressure, executive teams are reassessing how opioid use disorder treatment models deliver measurable outcomes across the continuum of care. While the clinical efficacy of medications for opioid use disorder is well established, questions remain regarding sustainability, utilization impact, and total cost of care.
In response to these system-level considerations, RECADEMY has announced a new webinar in its 2026 education series focused on advancing evidence-based opioid use disorder treatment across health systems, behavioral health organizations, and payer environments.
The webinar, “What’s Working in OUD Treatment & System Transformation: The ROI of MOUD for Health Systems, Payers, and Communities,” will be held on March 19, 2026, from 11:00 AM–12:00 PM ET. The session will feature Charles C. Whitehill, MD, Medical Director, Addiction Medicine Recovery Services, Kaiser Permanente Vallejo, and will be moderated by Stuart Buttlaire, PhD, Vice President of Clinical Excellence and Leadership at OPEN MINDS.
“Long-acting injectable medications have shifted from being viewed solely as a clinical option to becoming part of a broader system performance strategy,” said Dr. Whitehill. “When deployed thoughtfully, these medications can improve retention, reduce emergency department and inpatient utilization, and strengthen continuity of care during high-risk periods in the OUD cascade. The key question for leaders today is how to align medication strategy with measurable system and financial outcomes.”
The OUD Cascade of Care provides a structured framework for identifying where individuals disengage from treatment and where targeted system-level interventions can improve continuity and long-term outcomes. Increasingly, medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) are being evaluated not only for clinical effectiveness but also for their operational and financial impact within integrated delivery systems and payer environments.
During the webinar, Dr. Whitehill will discuss how provider organizations, health systems, and payers are aligning medication strategy with broader system performance goals. The session will examine where targeted treatment design delivers measurable clinical and financial value, particularly during high-risk transitions of care such as emergency department discharge, inpatient and residential treatment transitions, and release from incarceration.
Drawing on his experience within an integrated delivery system, Dr. Whitehill will outline how thoughtful medication strategy can improve retention beyond 90 days, reduce emergency department and inpatient utilization, and support continuity during periods of elevated overdose risk. The session will also address how organizations are evaluating return on investment in environments shaped by workforce shortages, financial pressure, and increased payer scrutiny.
Key learning objectives include:
- Identifying where medications strengthen the OUD Cascade of Care
- Understanding which patient populations benefit most with MOUD use and under what conditions
- Examining the impact of treatment design on engagement, retention, and acute care utilization
- Evaluating how reductions in emergency and inpatient use may offset pharmacy costs
- Assessing operational considerations in implementing and managing MOUD, including adherence, diversion risk, and workforce burden
- Aligning medication strategies for OUD with broader system performance and value-based payment goals
This webinar is part of RECADEMY’s 12-part educational series planned for 2026, addressing system design, clinical models, workforce strategies, payer alignment, and policy considerations related to substance use disorder treatment.
Registration is now open and free for members of RECADEMY.
About RECADEMY
RECADEMY is a research-based, online learning collaborative focused on improving substance use disorder treatment across clinical settings and payer environments. Through webinars, on-demand education, and curated resources, RECADEMY supports healthcare leaders in implementing evidence-based models of care and strengthening systems that improve treatment access, continuity, and outcomes.
About OPEN MINDS
OPEN MINDS is a national market intelligence, management consulting, and marketing services firm specializing exclusively in the high-needs consumer market – mental health, addiction treatment, cognitive disabilities, chronic health conditions, elder services, health-related social needs, and adjacent markets within the health and human service field. The OPEN MINDS mission is to provide payers, service provider organizations, pharmaceutical, technology, and scientific firms that serve these consumers with the market and management knowledge needed to improve their organizational efficiency and effectiveness. Learn more at openminds.com.