Feasibility of Implementing Shared Medical Appointments (SMAs) for Office-Based Opioid Treatment With Buprenorphine: A Pilot Study

ABSTRACTBackground: Shared medical appointments (SMAs) are designed to improve patient satisfaction and increase access to treatment. In a typical SMA, 6–12 patients with similar diagnoses attend a group appointment with their health care providers, often lasting 60–120 minutes. All components of an individual visit are completed, and additional time is spent providing education and facilitating peer support. The aim of this study was to report on patient and program outcomes after implementation of SMA-based office-based opioid treatment with buprenorphine. Methods: The study was conducted at a hospital-based outpatient psychiatric clinic that previously did not offer any office-based opioid treatment with buprenorphine. Demographic and clinical data (treatment retention, depression, anxiety, craving scores, and urine toxicology results) were extracted from the medical records. Patients were recruited to complete a survey assessing their experience. Results: Ninety-three patients enrolled in the program,...