The NIATx Opioid Treatment Provider Learning Collaborative Success Stories

The NIATx Opioid Treatment Provider (OTP) Process Improvement Learning Collaborative concluded at the 2010 AATOD conference. Seventeen of 20 organizations that completed the project shared their success stories at a preconference workshop on October 24.

Most of the participating organizations had no prior experience with the NIATx model. Over the course of the one-year collaborative, they received technical assistance and coaching on conducting rapid-cycle change projects, focusing on improving access to and retention in treatment.

One of the OTP collaborative participants, St. Vincent De Paul OTC of Brooklyn, NY increased admissions by 53% through its “In-Reach” change project, which rewarded existing patients for referring new patients. The resulting increase in billable weeks increased the agency’s revenue.

Connections Counseling of Madison, WI increased participation at group sessions by implementing a simple roster to document attendance.

CAP Quality Care of Westbrook, ME increased admissions and continuation in its OTP program by connecting callers to a live person, who completes a phone screening immediately. This easy change increased screenings by 56%. In another rapid-cycle change project, the team assigned a primary counselor within a patient’s first 48 hours of treatment, resulting in a 28% increase in continuation.

“The participating organizations’ hard work helped to make this another successful NIATx learning collaborative,” says Jeanne Pulvermacher, project director. “We were very pleased with the outcome and hope to offer another in the future.”