Late Breaking Original Research
Tuesday, November 14, 2023
08:30 AM–10:00 AM
Abstract
Introduction: Started in 2021, the Community Outreach Intervention Projects Mobile Unit is a collaboration between a harm reduction program and opioid treatment program that integrates clinical pharmacists and provides medication-assisted recovery (MAR) via low barrier buprenorphine and primary care with harm reduction services in Chicago.
In 2022, the Mobile Unit began dispensing buprenorphine in premade packs with up to 24 mg of buprenorphine daily in two-, three-, and seven-day supplies.
Research Question or Hypothesis: What is the impact and landscape of a Mobile Unit providing MAR, primary care, and harm reduction services?
Study Design: Retrospective cohort study
Methods: A chart review was conducted for all patients seen on the Mobile Unit between July 1, 2021 and June 30, 2023. The primary outcomes included the patient landscape and services provided. Secondary outcomes included patient-reported substance use history and reasons for not dispensing buprenorphine.
Results: A total of 1,085 unduplicated patients were seen across 2,381 visits. The typical patient was Black (61.9%), male (68.3%), and 46.5 years old (mean, SD 12.6). Approximately half were initial (45.1%) and follow-up visits (54.9%). Common services were MAR (64.8%, n=1543), COVID-19 vaccination (18.1%, n=430), wound care (11.0%, n=261), medication refill (10.2%, n=244), and COVID-19 testing (8.7%, n=206). Of the 571 patients seen for MAR, 75.9% used opioids via insufflation only, 16.3% via multiple routes, and 5.8% via injection only. Nearly 93% had documented polysubstance use. On average, patients used 5.2 bags of heroin daily for 19.2 years. When buprenorphine became available, over half of patients (54.4%, n=229) received buprenorphine across 451 visits. Most common reasons for not dispensing buprenorphine on days it was available included indication for shorter duration (5.6%, n=37), indication for longer duration (3.2%, n=21), and premade pack dosing was inappropriate for the individual (1.8%, n=12).
Conclusion: The Mobile Unit provided low barrier access to buprenorphine to underserved populations in Chicago.
Presenting Author
Abigail Elmes PharmD, BCPS, MHPEUniversity of Illinois at Chicago College of Pharmacy
Authors
Eden Keller PharmD
University of Illinois at Chicago College of Pharmacy
Stockton Mayer DO
University of Illinois Chicago College of Medicine
Amina Gassam PharmD
University of Illinois Chicago College of Pharmacy
Alexander Infante PharmD
University of Illinois at Chicago College of Pharmacy
Jennie Jarrett PharmD, BCPS, MMedEd, FCCP
University of Illinois at Chicago
Antonio Jimenez PhD
University of Illinois Chicago
Sarah Messmer MD
University of Illinois Chicago
Albert Murphy MPH
University of Illinois Chicago School of Public Health
Chintan Patel Pharm.D.
University of Illinois College of Pharmacy