Development and implementation of a physician-pharmacist collaborative practice model for provision and management of buprenorphine/naloxone

INTRODUCTION: Physician-pharmacist collaborative practice models (PPCPM) decrease barriers and increase access to medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) but are not routine in practice. The purpose of this quality improvement initiative is to develop and implement a PPCPM for management of patients on MOUD with buprenorphine/naloxone to minimize provider burden, expand access to treatment, and enhance overall patient care. METHODS: A PPCPM for management of patients on MOUD with buprenorphine/naloxone was piloted in an outpatient substance use disorder clinic. Approximately 4 hours per week were dedicated to physician-pharmacist collaborative medical appointments for a 5-month trial period. The pharmacist met with the patient first and then staffed the case with the collaborating psychiatrist. Descriptive data from PPCPM appointments was collected and compared to data from psychiatrist-only appointments. RESULTS: Twenty-five patients were seen over 44 appointments with an estimated 33 hours of psychiatrist time saved. Average initial and end buprenorphine doses, urine drug screen (UDS) results, and mental health (MH) medication interventions were similar between patients seen in PPCPM appointments compared with those seen in psychiatrist-only appointments. Collection of UDS, identification and management of MOUD adherence issues, other service referrals, and medication reconciliation intervention were more frequent in PPCPM appointments. DISCUSSION: Implementation of a PPCPM allowed for provision of a similar level of care regarding MOUD and MH-related medication management while saving psychiatrist time. Other enhancements to patient care provided through pharmacist intervention included more frequent identification and management of MOUD adherence issues, referral for other services, and medication reconciliation interventions.