Patient-centered care practices in the substance use disorder treatment field

What is it about?

Substance use disorder treatment professionals are paying increased attention to implementing “patient-centered care.” This study examines factors associated with patient-centered care practices in the substance use disorder treatment field using a nationally representative sample of substance use disorder treatment clinics in the U.S.

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Why is it important?

Although delivery of care across the addiction treatment system is highly variable and some clinics may adopt alternative patient-engagement mechanisms, about a quarter of the substance use disorder clinics in the United States invite patients to participate in formal clinical decision-making processes. Greater regional competition and serving more alcohol-use disorder and opioid-use disorder patients were associated with fewer patient-centered care practices. This finding points to us that patient-centered care may be unavailable to vulnerable patient groups.