AMERSA People & Passion, Episode 10: Initiating Medications for Opioid Use Disorder—There’s an App for That?!?

To support the utilization of Medications for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD), the Office Based Addiction Treatment Training and Technical Assistance (OBAT TTA) team will be releasing a mobile application that will guide healthcare providers through the initiation of buprenorphine and naltrexone for OUD (including injectable buprenorphine) and pain management for patients on these medications via interactive clinical algorithms. This is one of the only apps of its kind for addiction care. This podcast will interview key members leading the development of the app to learn more about its development, what gaps it is addressing, and feedback on initial utilization and impact.
Web Access to the App: https://www.bmcobat.org/quick-start/

Find the app in the Apple Store and on Google Play

Elizabeth M. Oliva, PhD, received her PhD in Developmental Psychopathology and Clinical Science from the University of Minnesota where her graduate work examining the etiology of substance use from adolescence to early adulthood was funded by a National Science Foundation Graduate Fellowship. She completed her pre-doctoral clinical psychology internship at UCSD/VA San Diego and is currently the VA National Opioid Overdose Education and Naloxone Distribution (OEND) Coordinator. Dr. Oliva also conducts research on VA OEND implementation as an Investigator at the VA Center for Innovation to Implementation (Ci2i) at the VA Palo Alto Health Care System. She is a Senior Evaluator for the VA Program Evaluation and Resource Center (PERC; one of three VA Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention evaluation centers) and supports implementation of VA’s Stratification Tool for Opioid Risk Mitigation (STORM). Dr. Oliva is also an Associate Editor for the Substance Abuse journal.

Andrea Caputo, DNP, FNP-BC, CARN-AP, is a Nurse Practitioner and Clinical Nurse Educator for the OBAT TTA+ program at Boston Medical Center with expertise in women's health, individuals experiencing homelessness, and chronic disease management. She is committed to serving vulnerable populations and works per diem at Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program; Andrea has also conducted international healthcare work in Haiti. She is a term lecturer and preceptor for nurse practitioner students at the MGH Institute of Health Professions (MGH IHP). Andrea received her Masters of Science in Nursing in 2011 and her Doctorate of Nursing Practice in 2018, both from the MGH IHP. She is board certified in addictions nursing through the Addictions Nursing Certification Board.

Annie Potter, MSN, MPH, NP, CARN-AP is a Nurse Practitioner and Clinical Nurse Educator for the OBAT TTA+ program at Boston Medical Center. Annie educates and supports health care providers on best practices in the treatment of substance use disorders and serves as Medical Director for BMC’s Massachusetts OBAT ECHO. Prior to joining BMC, Annie practiced at a community health center in Baltimore, MD, where she established and served as the clinical lead for the city's first walk-in HIV treatment and prevention program. She is board-certified in addictions and holds specialty certifications for the treatment of HIV and Hepatitis C. Annie earned her Masters of Nursing and Masters of Public Health from the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing and Bloomberg School of Public Health, respectively.