Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) Initiative is focused on improving care and outcomes for patients with opioid use disorder (OUD) through the establishment of a team-based care support system for DATA waivered primary care physicians in direct patient care across Michigan. With over 2,000 opioid-related deaths in Michigan in 2017, leadership from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan committed to creating several innovative programs and providing financial incentives to assist organizations with implementation.
This program will consist of identifying a MAT Champion, ideally a licensed care team member, within the physician organization (PO) that will be the link between MICMT and the PO and serves as the MAT resource person for other care team members with the PO. The MAT Champion will provide support with logistics and alignment with Provider Delivered Care Management (PDCM) and will receive ongoing training from MICMT.
This training is open to all members of the care team, from front desk staff to waivered physicians. The purpose of this training is to: 1) help care team members understand how opioids affect the brain, 2) learn to identify the stigma faced by patients with OUD and how this can affect patient-provider relationships, 3) identify what does and does not work in treating patients with OUD, and 4) explore effective ways to deliver MAT in your clinic and how to create a recovery-friendly clinic environment.
These webinars are designed with the care team in mind and will focus on the implementation of MAT in primary care. Topics might include team based intakes and inductions; managing staff perceptions; supporting patients on long-term MAT; motivational interviewing skills.
There are instructional materials for MAT Champions, clinicians and patients and include best practices from leading MAT programs across the country.
MICMT will coordinate the collection, evaluation, and organization of self-reported data. This will enable POs to better understand the association between MAT and OUD and the impact on health outcomes. This will include: 1) evaluate program metrics, 2) provide feedback to MAT team, and 3) inform program refinement.