Opioid Use Disorder (Opioid Addiction)

Care for People 16 Years of Age and Older

Click below to see a list of brief quality statements and scroll down for more information.

Quality Statements in Brief

Quality standards are sets of concise statements designed to help health care professionals easily and quickly know what care to provide, based on the best evidence.

See below for the quality statements and click for more detail.

Quality Statement 1: Identifying and Diagnosing Opioid Use Disorder
People at risk of opioid use disorder are asked about their opioid use and are further assessed as appropriate.

Quality Statement 2: Comprehensive Assessment and Collaborative Care Plan
People diagnosed with or identified as having opioid use disorder have a comprehensive assessment and a care plan developed in collaboration with their care providers.

Quality Statement 3: Addressing Physical Health, Mental Health, Additional Addiction Treatment Needs, and Social Needs
People with opioid use disorder have integrated, concurrent, culturally safe management of their physical health, mental health, additional addiction treatment needs, and social needs.

Quality Statement 4: Information to Participate in Care
People with opioid use disorder are provided with information to enable them to participate in their care. If their family is involved, they are also provided with this information.

Quality Statement 5: Opioid Agonist Therapy as First-Line Treatment
People with opioid use disorder are informed that treatment that includes opioid agonist therapy is safer and more effective than treatments that do not include opioid agonist therapy.

Quality Statement 6: Access to Opioid Agonist Therapy
People diagnosed with or identified as having opioid use disorder have access to opioid agonist therapy as soon as possible, within a maximum of 3 days.

Quality Statement 7: Treatment of Opioid Withdrawal Symptoms
People with opioid use disorder who are in moderate or severe withdrawal from opioids are offered relief of their symptoms with buprenorphine/naloxone within 2 hours.

Quality Statement 8: Access to Take-Home Naloxone and to Overdose Education
People with opioid use disorder and their families have immediate access to take-home naloxone and to overdose education.

Quality Statement 9: Tapering Off of Opioid Agonist Therapy
People who have achieved sustained stability on opioid agonist therapy who wish to taper off are supported in a collaborative slow taper if clinically appropriate.

Quality Statement 10: Concurrent Mental Health Disorders
People with opioid use disorder who also have a mental health disorder are offered concurrent treatment for their mental health disorder.

Quality Statement 11: Harm Reduction
People who use opioids have same-day access to harm reduction services. A comprehensive harm reduction approach includes education, safe supplies, infectious disease testing, vaccinations, appropriate referrals, and supervised consumption services.

Resources Quality Statements Advisory Committee About

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Addressing Physical Health, Mental Health, Additional Addiction Treatment Needs, and Social Needs

People with opioid use disorder have integrated, concurrent, culturally safe management of their physical health, mental health, additional addiction treatment needs, and social needs.

Background

It is important that people with opioid use disorder be provided with nonjudgmental, culturally supportive care that extends beyond addressing their opioid use disorder.

Those providing treatment with either buprenorphine/naloxone or methadone in specialized clinic settings should ensure that people receiving opioid agonist therapy also have their physical health, mental health, additional addiction treatment needs, and social needs addressed concurrently either in the specialized clinic or via other care providers. Care providers in specialized clinic settings should encourage and support a transition to primary care providers for those receiving ongoing treatment with buprenorphine/naloxone to ensure they receive comprehensive primary care.

In addition to physical health, mental health, and additional addiction treatment needs, the social needs of people with opioid use disorder, including housing and income support, should be addressed. Stress-management strategies and tools for preventing relapse should be discussed. Where appropriate, referrals to health and social services, such as peer-support groups, cultural supports, and vocational and skills training, should be provided.

What This Quality Statement Means

For People With Opioid Use Disorder

There may be more than one care provider helping you manage your opioid use disorder. Often, your family doctor or nurse practitioner can provide at least part of your treatment, including buprenorphine/naloxone. If you need additional help, they can connect you with other care providers who can help you with other physical health, mental health, or additional addiction treatment needs you may have. They can also connect you with people who can help with things like finding housing, a job, or financial support.

For Care Providers

Provide support and referrals to address the person’s physical health, mental health, additional addiction treatment needs, and social needs. If you are unable to provide these on site, you are responsible for facilitating access to them elsewhere. Offer applicable referrals for peer-support groups, cultural supports, and vocational and skills training supports.

For Health Services

Ensure systems, processes, and resources are in place to allow care providers to manage the physical health, mental health, additional addiction treatment needs, and social needs of people with opioid use disorder. This includes ensuring care providers have the time and resources required to provide counselling and comprehensive physical and mental health care to people with opioid use disorder. Pathways should be in place to facilitate referrals to health and social services when appropriate.

Quality Indicators

Process Indicator

Percentage of people with opioid use disorder who have a regular primary care provider

Denominator: total number of people with opioid use disorder
Numerator: number of people in the denominator who have a regular primary care provider
Data source: local data collection, administrative data

Structural Indicator

Local availability of spots in comprehensive addiction management programs that provide culturally safe care for people with opioid use disorder and address physical health, mental health, additional addiction treatment needs, and social needs

Data source: local data collection

Evidence to Improve Care