Bridging the Gap: Can Group Interventions Assist Addiction Consult Services in Providing Integrated, Comprehensive Healthcare for Patients Hospitalized for Opioid-Related Infections?

Few healthcare systems provide integrated, comprehensive addiction treatment for patients with opioid-related infections (e.g., endocarditis) requiring long-term intravenous antibiotic treatment. Accordingly, this study outlines preliminary findings from a psychosocial intervention provided to patients hospitalized for opioid-related infections. Twenty-seven (56.5% female) patients aged 23–64 [ M (SD) = 40.43(11.72)] years inducted on medication-assisted therapy by an addiction consult service participated in a weekly group intervention while hospitalized. These patients demonstrated gains in relevant knowledge from admission to discharge, 100% identified a follow-up plan at discharge, and 81.5% followed up in outpatient the next day. Immediate, 1-month, 3-month, and 6-month retention rates are presented, as well as comparisons to historical patients who did not receive the group intervention in the year prior to the study. This preliminary research outlines a group intervention that may be implemented into existing addiction consult services to improve integrated, comprehensive addiction treatment for patients with opioid-related infections.