Outpatient Medication-Assisted Opioid Therapy Discharges Aged 12 and Older: 2009
Chapter 8 presents data on the reason for discharge and median length of stay (LOS) in treatment for the 62,564 discharges aged 12 and older from outpatient medication-assisted opioid therapy (i.e., therapy with methadone or buprenorphine) in 2009. Thirty-eight of the 45 reporting States and jurisdictions had discharges from this type of service [Table 8.1]. Discharges aged 12 and older from outpatient medication-assisted opioid therapy included 94 percent from outpatient treatment and 6 percent from intensive outpatient treatment (see Chapter 1).
Reason for Discharge
Table 8.1 and Figure 8.1. Of the 62,564 discharges aged 12 and older from outpatient medication-assisted opioid therapy in 2009:
Figure 8.1
Reason for discharge from outpatient medication-assisted opioid therapy: 2009
SOURCE: Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality, Substance Abuse and
Mental Health
Services Administration, Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS). Data received through 10.10.11.
Median Length of Stay (LOS)
Table 1.4 and Figure 8.2. The median LOS in 2009 for outpatient medication-assisted opioid therapy
discharges aged 12 and older was 161 days. By reason for discharge, the median LOS for outpatient medication-assisted opioid therapy discharges was:
Figure 8.2
Median length of stay (LOS) in outpatient medication-assisted opioid therapy, by reason for discharge: 2009
SOURCE: Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality, Substance Abuse and
Mental Health
Services Administration, Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS). Data received through 10.10.11.
Characteristics at Admission
Table 1.6. Outpatient medication-assisted opioid therapy discharges aged 12 and older displayed some major differences from all discharges aged 12 and older combined. Of outpatient medication-assisted opioid therapy discharges aged 12 and older:
Treatment Completion
Tables 8.2 and 8.3. Table 8.2 enumerates the characteristics at admission of discharges aged 12 and over from outpatient medication-assisted opioid therapy by reason for discharge. Table 8.3 is based on Table 8.2. It presents two related proportions: a) the percent distribution of characteristics at admission among discharges completing treatment or transferring to further treatment compared to those who did not complete treatment, and b) the combined rate of completion or transfer to further treatment by characteristic at admission. Table 8.3 also provides the median LOS among outpatient medication-assisted opioid therapy discharges aged 12 and over that completed treatment.
Linkage of discharge records from 2009 to admission records from 2000 to 2009 means that the maximum length of stay (LOS) in treatment included in this report is 10 years. However, outpatient medication-assisted opioid therapy can have a much longer duration. Indeed, some admissions may receive this form of treatment for an indefinite period. Because this report includes data only on discharges, it will underestimate LOS in treatment for those receiving outpatient medication-assisted opioid therapy. Similarly, the number and proportion of treatment completers will reflect only those who have been discharged because treatment is complete and not those who successfully remain in long-term outpatient medication-assisted opioid therapy. In addition, the characteristics at admission of those admitted to and discharged from outpatient medication-assisted opioid therapy within 10 years may differ from those of admissions who remain in such therapy for longer than 10 years.
Completion/Transfer Rates and Characteristics at Admissions
The overall combined treatment completion/transfer rate among outpatient medication-assisted opioid therapy discharges aged 12 and over was 30 percent.
Median LOS among Discharges Completing Treatment
The overall median LOS in 2009 among discharges aged 12 and older completing outpatient medication-assisted opioid therapy was 197 days.