Clinical outcomes and health care costs among people entering a safer opioid supply program in Ontario

Original research
par
Gomes, Tara; Kolla, Gillian et al

Date de publication

2022

Géographie

Canada

Langue de la ressource

English

Texte disponible en version intégrale

Oui

Open Access / OK to Reproduce

Oui

Évalué par des pairs

Yes

L’objectif

London InterCommunity Health Centre (LIHC) launched a safer opioid supply (SOS) program in 2016, where clients are prescribed pharmaceutical opioids and provided with comprehensive health and social supports. We sought to evaluate the impact of this program on health services utilization and health care costs.

Constatations/points à retenir

In the time series analysis, rates of ED visits, hospital admissions, and health care costs not related to primary care or outpatient medications  declined significantly after entry into the SOS program (n = 82), with no significant change in rates of infections. In the year after cohort entry, the rate of ED visits, hospital admissions, admissions for incident infections and total health care costs not related to primary care or outpatient medications declined significantly among SOS clients compared with the year before. We observed no significant change in any of the primary outcomes among unexposed individuals (n = 303).

La conception ou méthodologie de recherche

Interrupted time series analysis

Mots clés

Evidence base
Safer supply
Outcomes
Wrap-around services
About PWUD
Transitions in care/treatment
Hospitals
Advocacy