Treatment Practice and Research Issues in Improving Opioid Treatment Outcomes

Providers of treatment for opioid addiction have entered a new era of accountability, as Federal and State regulators increasingly demand objective evidence of treatment effectiveness. Since the length of treatment is associated with success of treatment, opioid treatment programs that demonstrate an ability to retain patients can make a strong case that they are effective. The challenge to opioid treatment providers is to examine their practices and begin organizational change to incorporate scientifically proven practices to improve patient retention. The challenge to the research community is to partner more effectively with community-based providers to help them through the transition.