Philly NavSTAR Implementation Trial

Description

Patient Navigation (PN) interventions following hospitalization can reduce the differences that certain groups have been trying to access opioid use disorder treatment. These differences, which affect racial minority groups the most, contribute to the opioid overdose epidemic. However, delivering PN interventions on a wide scale requires many resources and coordination across institutions. This will use an evidence-based process to find solutions to these significant barriers by engaging community, hospital, and patient partners. This study is being conducted to learn more about how to implement NavSTAR, a patient navigation intervention for people with opioid use disorder, across a health system. Our research team showed in a previous study with 400 participants that NavSTAR significantly increased entry into opioid use disorder treatment, reduced readmissions to the hospital, and was highly cost- effective compared to treatment as usual. This study will first pilot NavSTAR with 32 patient participants across 4 hospitals in the City of Philadelphia. Then, we will conduct a large trial with 720 patient participants to see if we can reach people who need the intervention, and create a sustainable plan to continue the intervention after the grant award period.

Conditions

Opioid Use Disorder

Study Overview

Study Details

Study overview

Patient Navigation (PN) interventions following hospitalization can reduce the differences that certain groups have been trying to access opioid use disorder treatment. These differences, which affect racial minority groups the most, contribute to the opioid overdose epidemic. However, delivering PN interventions on a wide scale requires many resources and coordination across institutions. This will use an evidence-based process to find solutions to these significant barriers by engaging community, hospital, and patient partners. This study is being conducted to learn more about how to implement NavSTAR, a patient navigation intervention for people with opioid use disorder, across a health system. Our research team showed in a previous study with 400 participants that NavSTAR significantly increased entry into opioid use disorder treatment, reduced readmissions to the hospital, and was highly cost- effective compared to treatment as usual. This study will first pilot NavSTAR with 32 patient participants across 4 hospitals in the City of Philadelphia. Then, we will conduct a large trial with 720 patient participants to see if we can reach people who need the intervention, and create a sustainable plan to continue the intervention after the grant award period.

Implementing a Patient Navigation Intervention Across a Health System to Address Treatment Entry Inequities

Philly NavSTAR Implementation Trial

Condition
Opioid Use Disorder
Intervention / Treatment

-

Contacts and Locations

Philadelphia

Jefferson Health, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, 19107

Philadelphia

Friends Research Institute, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, 19125

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

For general information about clinical research, read Learn About Studies.

Eligibility Criteria

  • 1. age 18 or older;
  • 2. current DSM-5 criteria for moderate to severe OUD;
  • 3. willing and able to provide informed consent in English.
  • 1. enrollment in OUD treatment 30-days prior to hospitalization;
  • 2. residency outside the City of Philadelphia;
  • 3. pregnancy;
  • 4. planned discharge to a long-term inpatient care facility (e.g., hospice);
  • 5. hospitalization for a suicide attempt.

Ages Eligible for Study

18 Years to

Sexes Eligible for Study

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Collaborators and Investigators

Friends Research Institute, Inc.,

Karen Alexander, PhD, PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR, Friends Research Institute, Inc.

Jan Gryczynski, PhD, PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR, Friends Research Institute, Inc.

Study Record Dates

2025-06