# Improving transitions of care for hospitalized patients with opioid use disorder

> **NIH NIH K23** · UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA · 2024 · $192,013

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT: The goal of this K23 Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career
Development Award is to support the applicant in developing the critical skills necessary to become an expert in
increasing access to evidence-based treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD) at touchpoints for care that
individuals with OUD are likely to frequent. The proposed research focuses on NIDA's priority area of addressing
real-world complexities by developing implementation strategies to improve treatment continuity after
hospitalization in patients with OUD. Hospitalizations related to OUD and its complications have increased
dramatically over the last few decades, leading to high morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs. Hospitals are
increasingly recognized as critical touchpoints for engaging individuals with OUD in treatment, and randomized
controlled trials support the efficacy of initiating medications for OUD (MOUD) in acute care settings to increase
treatment engagement following discharge. However, hospital-initiated treatment is insufficient if patients do not
continue care in the community. Despite the robust literature on care transitions after hospital discharge for
patients with other chronic conditions, there is limited evidence about the best strategies to optimize care
engagement for patients with OUD after hospitalization. We need effective, scalable strategies for linking patients
with OUD from acute care to ongoing treatment, including continuation of MOUDs. The research objective of this
proposal is to develop and pilot test strategies to facilitate transitions of care for patients with OUD from the
hospital to the community. The specific aims are: (1) Use a mixed-methods approach to identify determinants of
effective care transitions for patients with OUD from acute care to outpatient treatment at the patient, provider,
and system level, (2) Partner with hospital and community stakeholders and use implementation mapping to
develop a multicomponent, modular toolkit to facilitate transitions from acute care to community addressing multi-
level barriers, and (3) Conduct a pilot trial of the care transition toolkit. The primary outcome will be treatment
engagement at 30 days, and secondary outcomes will include MOUD and substance use, service use, feasibility,
acceptability and patient satisfaction. The mentorship team brings together experts in health services research,
implementation science, and care delivery interventions for OUD as well as stakeholder advisors from hospital
and community settings. This Mentored Research Scientist Development Award builds on Dr. Lowenstein's
experience as a clinician and researcher and extends it with five key training goals: 1) Measuring outcomes for
OUD-related care across systems, 2) Advanced qualitative inquiry, 3) Implementing health systems change, and
5) Manuscript and grant writing. With successful completion of this project, training activities, and mentorship
from a team of experience...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10839456
- **Project number:** 5K23DA055087-03
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
- **Principal Investigator:** Margaret Lowenstein
- **Activity code:** K23 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $192,013
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2022-06-15 → 2027-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10839456

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10839456, Improving transitions of care for hospitalized patients with opioid use disorder (5K23DA055087-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10839456. Licensed CC0.

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