Clinical trial Recruiting at 1 site Phase 4 Interventional Ages 19 and up

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.

More Opioid Use Disorder trials

Quick facts

PhasePhase 4
Study typeInterventional
Ages19 Years and up
SexAll
Enrollment160 (estimated)
SponsorUniversity of Alabama at Birmingham
Academic / other
Locations1 site (Birmingham, Alabama)
StatusRecruiting
StartedSeptember 7, 2026
Main results expectedSeptember 30, 2030
Study endsSeptember 30, 2030
Registry record updatedOctober 2, 2026
Trial IDNCT07485335 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

  • 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

Similar studies

Other studies for the same condition or treatment. Recruiting studies are listed first.

  • Community-based program for youth with opioid use disorder

    This study is testing a community program that helps young people with opioid use disorder get better treatment and support to see if it keeps them engaged in recovery and reduces overdoses.

    Recruiting Phase 4 The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston · Houston, Texas · NCT04811014

  • CBD for Opioid Dependence and Pain on Buprenorphine

    This study tests whether different doses of cannabidiol (CBD) can affect pain and opioid cravings in adults with opioid use disorder who are on buprenorphine, using a short, randomized, placebo-controlled setup.

    Recruiting Early Phase 1 Yale University · West Haven, Connecticut · NCT07886606

  • Cebranopadol for opioid withdrawal in adults with chronic pain

    This study tests whether cebranopadol can reduce withdrawal symptoms in adults with chronic pain who are physically dependent on prescribed opioids, compared with placebo.

    Recruiting at 2 sites Phase 2 Adneuris Therapeutics, Inc. · North Canton, Ohio and 1 other locations · NCT07874620

  • emPath platform pilot to link and keep adults with opioid use disorder in care in Durham

    This pilot tests a mobile app and telemedicine approach to help adults with opioid use disorder start and stay in MOUD through community outreach in Durham, NC.

    Recruiting Duke University · Durham, North Carolina · NCT07810322

  • CB1 Receptors in Opioid Use Disorder Measured with a PET Radioligand

    This study tests CB1 receptor availability in people with opioid use disorder starting opioid agonist therapy and compares them with healthy adults.

    Recruiting Phase 1 Yale University · New Haven, Connecticut · NCT07800520

  • STORC: Training a support person plus patient navigation after birth

    We’re testing whether training a designated support person and using patient navigation after delivery helps people with opioid use disorder build recovery resources and stay in treatment.

    Recruiting Friends Research Institute, Inc. · Philadelphia, Pennsylvania · NCT07787039

How to take part

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.
Last reviewed 2026-11-14 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.