Bundled telehealth, peer support, and buprenorphine after ED discharge to prevent opioid overdoses
Official title: Implementation and Effectiveness of A Bundled Intervention to End Opioid Overdoses by Increasing Treatment Uptake Post Discharge
Run by University of Alabama at Birmingham · NCT07485335 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This trial tests a bundled approach with telehealth, peer support, buprenorphine, and care linkage to see if it helps people who have overdosed and were discharged from the ED continue treatment and avoid repeat overdoses.
Quick facts
| Phase | Phase 4 |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Ages | 19 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 160 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | University of Alabama at Birmingham Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Birmingham, Alabama) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | September 7, 2026 |
| Main results expected | September 30, 2030 |
| Study ends | September 30, 2030 |
| Registry record updated | October 2, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT07485335 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Adults (19+) with opioid use disorder who recently overdosed and were discharged from UAB Hospital, are willing to continue buprenorphine, and can engage in English-language telehealth and peer-support services within Alabama.
✕Probably not a fit
Individuals not willing or able to participate in buprenorphine treatment or telehealth, or those outside Alabama, may not experience benefit.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This randomized or controlled study examines whether a bundled intervention delivered after emergency department discharge—comprising telemedicine, peer support, buprenorphine treatment, and facilitated linkage to ongoing care—can increase treatment uptake and reduce repeat overdoses among adults with opioid use disorder. The intervention targets patients discharged from the UAB hospital who have ongoing needs after an overdose and are willing to continue buprenorphine. The study compares the bundled approach to standard or alternate care, with outcomes focused on treatment engagement, repeat overdoses, and overdose-related mortality. The HEAL Initiative supports the project, and the trial emphasizes practical implementation in the ED/post-discharge setting. Eligibility includes age, language, diagnosis, and geographic criteria, with specific exclusions to ensure safety and feasibility.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients may experience higher engagement in treatment, fewer repeat overdoses, and lower risk of overdose-related death after ED discharge.
How similar studies have gone: Prior research supports telehealth and peer support to improve treatment uptake in substance use disorders, but this specific bundled combination post-ED discharge is novel and not yet proven.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: 1. discharged from the ED and inpatient settings at the UAB hospital 2. 19 years or older (the age of majority in Alabama); 3. diagnosis of OUD and experiencing opioid overdose in the last 12 months; 4. prescribed buprenorphine in the ED and willing to continue buprenorphine post-ED discharge; 5. English speaking; 6. not actively psychotic and suicidal, or cognitively impaired. 7. Patients who are admitted to the hospital from the ED will be eligible for enrollment. Exclusion Criteria: 1. living in a restricted environment (e.g., prison or jail facility, etc.); 2. currently enrolled in other clinical studies; 3. anticipated to take other prescribed opioids except buprenorphine for a medical condition longer than three months; 4. known allergic reaction to buprenorphine; 5. critically ill or injured; 6. females with pregnancy (they are anticipated to request a higher level of care). 7. living outside of Alabama
Where it's running
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UAB
Birmingham, Alabama, United States Recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Li Li, MD;PhD — University of Alabama at Birmingham
- Study coordinator: Li Li, MD;PhD
- Email: liyli@uabmc.edu
- Phone: 2059346269
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.