Response to a peer telehealth intervention for emergency department patients presenting with opioid use disorder or unintentional overdose: a stratified interrupted time series analysis.

The use of opioids has become a significant concern in the United States, with many individuals frequently utilizing emergency department (ED) services due to opioid-related issues. In an effort to address this problem, some hospitals have introduced peer recovery support specialists (PRSS) in EDs to provide support, advocacy, and linkages to services for patients struggling with substance use. The goal of this initiative is to reduce the number of future ED presentations for opioid-related and other health problems associated with substance use. However, there is limited evidence on the effectiveness of PRSS services in achieving this objective, particularly when these services are delivered via telehealth. A recent study conducted in a large Indiana-based hospital system aimed to investigate the impact of PRSS telehealth services on reducing ED revisits. The study analyzed records of 2,542 unique ED visits across 12 hospitals over a five-year period, with a focus on patients presenting with unintentional opioid overdose or other opioid-related issues. The primary outcome assessed was the change in 30-day all-cause ED revisits before and after the implementation of the PRSS telehealth program. While the overall results did not show a significant change in 30-day ED revisits, stratified analyses by sex revealed a significant decrease in ED revisits among female patients after the program implementation. This suggests that the PRSS telehealth program may have been more effective for females than males. The study's findings highlight the need for further research to understand the underlying mechanisms of these observed sex differences, which can inform the development of more targeted and effective interventions for all participants of telehealth PRSS services in ED settings. By exploring these differences, healthcare providers can work towards reducing ED revisits and improving outcomes for individuals struggling with opioid use and other substance use disorders. Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40382632/