Author/Authors :
Miclette, Matthew A. Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, Philadelphia, USA , Leff, Jared A. Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, USA , Cuan, Isabella University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA , Samet, Jeffrey H. Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, USA , Saloner, Brendan Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, USA , Mendell, Gary Shatterproof, New York, USA , Bao, Yuhua Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, USA , Ashburn, Michael A. Perelman School of Medicine - University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA , Bachhuber, Marcus A. Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine, USA , Schackman, Bruce R. Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, USA , Polsky, Daniel E. Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, Philadelphia, USA , Meisel, Zachary F. Perelman School of Medicine - University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA
Abstract :
Drug overdose deaths involving opioids have surged in recent years and the economic cost of the opioid epidemic is
estimated to be over $500 billion annually. In the midst of calls for declaring a national emergency, health policy deci-
sion makers are considering the best ways to allocate resources to curb the epidemic. On June 9, 2017, 116 invited
health researchers, clinicians, policymakers, health system leaders, and other stakeholders met at the University of
Pennsylvania to discuss approaches to address the gaps in evidence-based substance use disorder policy and prac-
tice, with an emphasis on the opioid epidemic. The conference was sponsored by the Center for Health Economics of
Treatment Interventions for Substance Use Disorder, HCV, and HIV (CHERISH), a NIDA-funded National Center of Excel-
lence, and hosted by the Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics of the University of Pennsylvania. The confer-
ence aims were to: (1) foster new relationships between researchers and policymakers through a collaborative work
process and (2) generate evidence-based policy recommendations to address the opioid epidemic. The conference
concluded with an interactive work session during which attendees self-identified as researchers or policymakers and
were divided equally among 13 tables. These groups met to develop and present policy recommendations based
on an opioid use disorder case study. Thirteen policy recommendations emerged across four themes: (1) quality of
treatment, (2) continuity of care, (3) opioid prescribing and pain management, and (4) consumer engagement. This
conference serves as a proposed model to develop equitable, working relationships among researchers, clinicians,
and policymakers.
