Integrating Addiction and Infectious Diseases Services Into Primary Care in Rural Settings

Brief Summary

Detailed Description

To integrate HIV/HCV/ OUD services into Primary Care Clinics (PCC), the investigators will introduce screen/evaluate/treat (SET) procedures for HIV/hepatitis C (HCV)/ Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) in PCCs in rural WV where ECHO and WV Hepatitis Academic Mentoring Partnership (WVHAMP) will support clinical skills for Primary Care Provider (PCPs) and where NIATx process improvement tools will be used to guide adoption and scale-up of SET procedures to achieve integration. Using a step-wedge design with 20 PCCs, the investigators will conduct a Type 3 Hybrid implementation trial and examine the extent to which our SET processes are achieved through enhanced electronic health record (EHR) tools, NIATx facilitation and ECHO and WVHAMP collaborative learning. Implementation outcomes include adoption of screening and treating with three distinct but linked evidence based practices (EBPs) for OUD, HIV and HCV in PCCs. Effectiveness outcomes will include quality health indicators (QHIs) for primary care, HIV, HCV and OUD. This project is separated into two Phases. Phase 1 includes Nominal Group Technique focus groups and anonymous staff surveys at the 20 PCCs to identify barriers and facilitators to integrating these evidence based practices. Phase 2 is an evaluation of deidentified reports from the PCCs Electronic Health Records. In Phase 2, randomized sites will start NIATx activities, including a series of rapid-cycle Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) activities. The first 6 months will include intensive coaching from a certified NIATx coach and enhanced by support from ECHO \& the WVHAMP to teach subspecialty clinical expertise. During an 18-month follow-up, the investigators will assess the sustainability of these practice changes. Effectiveness outcomes will include a set of nationally recommended quality health indicators (QHIs) to measure quality care. This project is a collaboration between Yale University, West Virginia University (WVU), and the West Virginia Primary Care Association. Aim 1 (Phase 1): Identify the barriers and facilitators for a diverse group of PCCs throughout WV, a mostly rural state that is profoundly impacted by OUD-associated HIV/HCV outbreaks, focusing on screening for and prescribing evidence-based treatment \[medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD), Treatment as Prevention (TasP), pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), and curative hepatitis C (HCV) treatment\] for OUD, HIV and HCV. Aim 2 (Phase 2): Using a step-wedge design with 20 PCCs, the investigators will conduct a Type 3 hybrid implementation trial using the Integrated Promoting Action on Research Implementation in Health Services (iPARiHS) framework to assess the extent to which our SET processes are achieved through enhanced EHR tools, NIATx facilitation and ECHO-supported collaborative learning. Implementation outcomes include adoption of screening and implementation of three distinct but linked EBPs for OUD, HIV and HCV in PCCs. Effectiveness outcomes will include quality health indicators (QHIs) for primary care, HIV, HCV and OUD.

Primary Outcomes

Secondary Outcomes

• Number of patients with sustained viral response for HCV(18 months)
• Quality Health Indicator (QHI) score for Primary Care screening variables(18 months)
• Number of patients on PrEP to prevent HIV(12 months)
• Number of patients retained on medication for OUD for at least 6 months(6 months)
• Number of patients retained on medication (ART) for HIV(12 months)
• Number of patients with Viral Suppression for HIV(12 months)