Pilot investigation of an electronic pillbox at a community opioid treatment program

Opioid treatment programs (OTPs) permit patients to ingest daily methadone doses unsupervised and away from the clinic, a strategy that enhances treatment access and convenience but has the potential for mismanagement. This retrospective review, conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic (5/2020-1/2022)...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The American journal of drug and alcohol abuse 2024-05, Vol.50 (3), p.328-333
Main Authors: Sklar, Michael, Doyle, Susan, Kidorf, Michael
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Access
Adult
Aged
Analgesics, Opioid - administration & dosage
Analgesics, Opioid - therapeutic use
Censuses
COVID-19
COVID-19 - epidemiology
COVID-19 - prevention & control
Dosage
Feasibility
Feasibility Studies
Female
Humans
Male
Methadone
Methadone - administration & dosage
Methadone - therapeutic use
Middle Aged
Mismanagement
Narcotics
Opiate Substitution Treatment - methods
Opioid-Related Disorders - drug therapy
Opioids
Pandemics
Pilot Projects
Retrospective Studies
Treatment programs
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Description
Summary:Opioid treatment programs (OTPs) permit patients to ingest daily methadone doses unsupervised and away from the clinic, a strategy that enhances treatment access and convenience but has the potential for mismanagement. This retrospective review, conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic (5/2020-1/2022), evaluates the feasibility and acceptability of a commercially available electronic pillbox to safely administer methadone take-home tablets in a large community-based OTP (census >500 people). Study participants (  = 24; 54% male, 46% female; M age = 63 years) had recently received more take-homes per visit to support national social distancing directives, and were instructed that they could maintain these privileges by agreeing to use the pillbox. Results demonstrate good demand feasibility as most participants (71%) agreed to use the pillbox. Good implementation feasibility was observed through safe and reliable delivery of most take-home tablets, with a staff support line to resolve technical issues. Acceptability was modest as six participants (25%) requested to return the pillbox despite losing some take-home privileges. Results support continued use and study of the electronic pillbox to safely deliver and increase access to methadone take-home doses.
ISSN:0095-2990
1097-9891
1097-9891
DOI:10.1080/00952990.2024.2316598