Reframing conceptualizations of primary care involvement in opioid use disorder treatment

Primary care was identified to be an ideal setting for OUD care delivery due to its potential as the first point of contact in the health system; the opportunity to provide care continuity. However, challenges include a lack of resources and support for chronic disease management more broadly in primary care, and the prevailing model of OUD treatment, where addictions care is not seen as part of comprehensive primary care. Additionally, the highly regulated OUD policy landscape is also a barrier, manifesting as a 'regulatory cascade' in which restrictive oversight of OUD treatment passes from regulators to health providers to patients, normalizing the overly restrictive nature and inaccessibility of OUD care.