Better, Faster, Cheaper, and Scaled: Opioid Use Disorder Treatment in the Fentanyl Era

Stephen Martin, MD, EdM
Boulder Care

Stephanie Strong, CEO, Founder
Boulder Care

ABSTRACT:
Treating opioid use disorder may be described as a “strike while the iron’s hot” scenario. Treatment must occur before doubts, withdrawal, or challenging life circumstances overwhelm someone who is interested, closing the window of opportunity. Despite nationwide efforts to expand access to highly effective medications like methadone and buprenorphine, both remain underused due to a combination of regulatory and attitudinal barriers. These barriers manifest in long wait-times (a problem of timing) and treatment scarcity (a problem of scale).