Buprenorphine is an evidence-based pharmacological approach to treating opioid use disorder (OUD). Numerous studies demonstrate the benefits of initiating and maintaining buprenorphine treatment, including improved social functioning and reduced risk of illicit opioid use, overdose death, and transmission of infectious disease. Best practice guidelines encourage continued use of buprenorphine for as long as patients show benefit. Studies examining long-term treatment outcomes among individuals prescribed buprenorphine suggest that longer length of time on medication is associated with reduced risk of illicit opioid use. Further, tapering patients off buprenorphine frequently results in a return to illicit opioid use and increases the risk for overdose. Thus, it is critical to for addiction treatment programs to ensure the ability to offer long-term care. In March 2023, a large addiction treatment center (“Recovery Connections”), with sites across Massachusetts and Rhode Island, was abruptly shut down due to fraudulent billing activity.  As a result, an estimated 1600-1800 patients were immediately, and unexpectedly, displaced from care.  Experiencing disruptions in treatment services, particularly limiting access to lifesaving medications such as buprenorphine, is associated with poor clinical outcomes including heightened risk for overdose and death. Previous qualitative studies have explored barriers and facilitators to planned transitions of care, however, to our knowledge, qualitative approaches have yet to examine unplanned or abrupt transitions of care such as those that occur due to fraudulent activity.

The objective of the present study is to conduct a qualitative study to examine the perceived impact of experiencing a significant, abrupt, disruption to OUD treatment as well as identify potential barriers and facilitators to transitions of care. Information obtained through this study will identify key factors that may influence programming for OUD care, namely, how to best support patients who, for any number of reasons, may need to unexpectedly transition between treatment settings.