Telehealth versus in-person follow-up for buprenorphine after an emergency department visit
Official title: In Person vs Telehealth Opioid Use Disorder Treatment After Patients Leave the Emergency Department
Run by University of California, Davis · NCT06961058 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project will test whether arranging follow-up buprenorphine care by telehealth or by in-person clinics leads to better long-term treatment retention and patient experience for adults with opioid use disorder who start buprenorphine in the emergency department.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 528 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | University of California, Davis Academic / other |
| Locations | 3 sites (El Centro, California and 2 other locations) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | June 3, 2025 |
| Main results expected | June 1, 2029 |
| Study ends | September 1, 2029 |
| Registry record updated | June 29, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT06961058 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Adults who receive buprenorphine in the emergency department, do not already have an outpatient buprenorphine clinic, can consent, and can complete follow-up in English or Spanish are ideal candidates.
✕Probably not a fit
Patients already connected to an outpatient buprenorphine program, those living in institutions, or those unable to consent or complete follow-up in English or Spanish are unlikely to benefit from this referral comparison.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
Adults who receive buprenorphine for opioid use disorder in one of three emergency departments will be referred to outpatient buprenorphine care either via telehealth (video/phone) or at an in-person clinic. Researchers will track whether patients successfully establish outpatient treatment, how long they remain on buprenorphine, and measures of patient experience over 1, 3, 6, and 9 months. Participants complete baseline and follow-up questionnaires and linkage to outpatient care is monitored. The study aims to compare the two referral approaches to understand which better supports long-term buprenorphine use after ED-initiated treatment.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could increase long-term buprenorphine retention and reduce overdose risk by making outpatient care easier to access and stay in.
How similar studies have gone: Emergency-department initiation of buprenorphine is evidence-based and telehealth OUD treatment expanded after COVID-19 with promising access and retention results, but direct long-term comparisons of telehealth versus in-person referrals remain limited.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Adult patients who present to the emergency department and receive buprenorphine (either administered or prescribed) to treat OUD * do not have an established outpatient clinic where they will get buprenorphine when they leave the emergency department Exclusion Criteria: * inability to give consent * patients living in institutions (e.g., nursing homes, prisons) * unable to complete questionnaires in either English or Spanish
Where it's running
-
El Centro Regional Medical Center Emergency Department
El Centro, California, United States Recruiting -
University of California Davis Emergency Department
Sacramento, California, United States Recruiting -
Olive View - UCLA Medical Center Emegency Department
Sylmar, California, United States Recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Aimee Moulin, MD MAS — University of California, Davis
- Study coordinator: Meghan Weyrich, MPH
- Email: masoulsby@health.ucdavis.edu
- Phone: 916-734-7391
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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.