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The Emergency Department Longitudinal Integrated Care

The Emergency Department Longitudinal Integrated Care Effectiveness Randomized Trial Targeting Opioid Use and Related Comorbidity From the ED

Status
Active, not recruiting
Phases
NA
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT05327166
Acronym
ED-LINC2
Enrollment
500
Registered
2022-04-14
Start date
2022-04-12
Completion date
2026-12-31
Last updated
2025-12-10

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Opioid Use Disorder

Keywords

collaborative care, opioid use disorder (OUD), substance use disorder

Brief summary

Collaborative care is a comprehensive patient-centered model of healthcare delivery targeting behavioral health or substance use that stems from the chronic disease management framework. The intervention being tested ('Emergency Department Longitudinal Integrated Care' or ED LINC) derives from the collaborative care model and has demonstrated feasibility in previous studies. This study expands on the model to test the effectiveness of the ED-LINC intervention when compared with usual care. The study team primarily hypothesizes that patients randomized to the ED-LINC intervention, when compared to patients randomized to usual care, will demonstrate: 1) significant reductions in self-report illicit opioid use, 2) significant increases in initiation and retention of medications for opioid use disorder, and 3) significant reductions in ED utilization.

Detailed description

This is a randomized clinical trial designed to test the effectiveness of the multi-component ED-LINC intervention. Patients with moderate or severe OUD seeking medical care at 2 EDs in Seattle, Washington, who provide informed consent will be randomized to the ED-LINC intervention (n=250) or usual care control (n=250) conditions. ED-LINC will include: 1) overdose education, 2) brief bedside intervention targeting motivation to engage in outpatient care, 3) a patient-centered approach to medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) using a treatment decision support tool, 4) longitudinal and proactive care management which will proceed for approximately 3 months, and 5) weekly caseload supervision allowing for stepped-up care targeting opioid use and comorbidity. This intervention will use the Emergency Department Information Exchange (EDIE) to re-engage patients with subsequent ED visits. This study team developed the 'Emergency Department Longitudinal Integrated Care 2.0' intervention or 'ED-LINC' for patients with OUD to be initiated from the ED. In prior work, ED-LINC was feasible and retention in the study was high in both an intervention arm and a usual care control arm. Additionally, participants randomized to the ED-LINC arm were satisfied and acceptability of the intervention was high. Elements of ED-LINC are based on evidence-based treatments and are central components of collaborative care and will acknowledge the longitudinal care required for opioid use disorder and related substance abuse, mental health and medical comorbidity.

Interventions

OTHERED-LINC

The ED-LINC intervention provides 1) overdose education, 2) brief bedside intervention targeting motivation to engage in outpatient care, 3) a patient-centered approach to MOUD using a treatment decision support tool, 4) longitudinal and proactive care management which will proceed for 3 months, and 5) weekly caseload supervision allowing for stepped-up care targeting opioid use and comorbidity.

Sponsors

National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
CollaboratorNIH
University of Washington
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
SUPPORTIVE_CARE
Masking
NONE

Masking description

Due to the nature of the intervention, this is an open label study since participants will know whether they are receiving ED-LINC resources or usual care.

Intervention model description

Participants will be randomized to either usual care (n=250) or ED-LINC intervention (n=250). Patients assigned to the ED-LINC intervention will receive 1) overdose education, 2) brief bedside intervention targeting motivation to engage in outpatient care, 3) a patient-centered approach to MOUD using a treatment decision support tool, 4) longitudinal and proactive care management which will proceed for 3 months, and 5) weekly caseload supervision allowing for stepped-up care targeting opioid use and comorbidity.

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* Aged 18 years or older * Moderate or Severe OUD based on the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM Disorders (SCID) * Currently have a phone or method of contact * Able to provide a phone number and one additional piece of contact information

Exclusion criteria

* Incarcerated or under arrest * Non-English speaking * Live beyond a 50 mile radius of Harborview Medical Center * Require active resuscitation in the ED or other clinical area at the time of Research Assistant (RA) approach * Are receiving palliative care services or hospice care for a chronic illness such as metastatic cancer * Are in the ED or hospital for a primary psychiatric emergency such as suicidal ideation or attempt and require emergent evaluation by a Psychiatrist * Receiving chronic opioid therapy (COT) defined as prescription opioids for most days out of the last 90 days for a chronic pain condition * In the ED for sexual assault * Enrolled or eligible for state-funded or hospital-funded care coordination program based on high utilization of the ED

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Change in Illicit Opioid Use Over TimeBaseline ED visit and 1, 3, 6 and 12-months after ED visitTo compare self-reported past-30 day illicit opioid use using the validated self-report measure of timeline followback (TLFB) in subjects receiving usual care or ED-LINC intervention over the course of the year after the index Emergency Department visit.
Initiation of Medications for OUD12 monthsTo compare the frequency of initiation of medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) where MOUD includes buprenorphine, methadone and/or naltexone in subjects receiving usual care or ED-LINC intervention over the course of the year after the index Emergency Department visit using statewide data for prescriptions and Medicaid billing data for medication administration augmented with patient self-report MOUD at scheduled follow-up intervals.
Change in Emergency Department visitsIndex Emergency Department visit to 12-months followupTo compare changes over time in Emergency Department visits in subjects receiving usual care or ED-LINC intervention; Emergency Department visits will be measured by the Emergency Department Information Exchange (an automated health information exchange) that caputures population-level Emergency Department utilization for all enrolled participants.

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Retention in Medications for OUD12 monthsTo compare the frequency of retention in medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) where MOUD includes buprenorphine, methadone and/or naltexone in subjects receiving usual care or ED-LINC intervention over the course of the year after the index Emergency Department visit visit using statewide data for prescriptions and Medicaid billing data for medication administration augmented with patient self-report MOUD at scheduled follow-up intervals.
Intervention effect when associated depressionIndex Emergency Department visit to 12-months followupExplore the impact of depression in the past 30-days as measured by self-report PHQ-9 at baseline on intervention treatment effects.
Intervention effect when associated anxietyIndex Emergency Department visit to 12-months followupExplore the impact of anxiety in the past 30-days as measured by self-report GAD-7 at baseline on intervention treatment effects.
Intervention effect when associated PTSDIndex Emergency Department visit to 12-months followupExplore the impact of PTSD in the past 30-days as measured by self-report PCL-C at baseline on intervention treatment effects.baseline on intervention treatment effects.
Intervention effect when associated with Methamphetamine useIndex Emergency Department visit to 12-months followupExplore the impact of methamphetamine use, as measured by the timeline follow-back (TLFB) which is a validated patient self-report measure of days of methamphetamine use over a 30 day-period, on intervention treatment effects.
Intervention effect when patient has exposure to MOUD in prior 12 monthsIndex Emergency Department visit to 12-months followupExplore the impact of any past 12-month MOUD exposure prior to enrollment where MOUD includes buprenorphine, methadone and/or naltexone assessed from review of medical records, using statewide data for prescriptions and Medicaid billing data for medication administration augmented with patient self-report MOUD obtained at baseline on the intervention treatment effect.
Intervention effect by sexIndex Emergency Department visit to 12-months followupExplore the impact of patient sex as measured by patient self-report at baseline on intervention treatment effects
Intervention effect when patient reports using illicit fentanyl at baselineIndex Emergency Department visit to 12-months followupExplore the impact of fentanyl use as measured by any patient self-report fentanyl use in the past 30-days at baseline on the intervention treatment effect
Intervention effect when associated current painIndex Emergency Department visit to 12-months followupExplore the impact of pain in the past week as measured by the self-report 3-item PEG at baseline on intervention treatment effects.
Time to Initiation of MOUD12 monthsTo compare time to initiation of medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) where MOUD includes buprenorphine, methadone and/or naltexone in subjects receiving usual care or ED-LINC intervention over the course of the year after the index Emergency Department visit.
Engagement in Medications for OUD12 monthsTo compare the frequency of engagement in medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) where MOUD includes buprenorphine, methadone and/or naltexone in subjects receiving usual care or ED-LINC over the course of the year after the index Emergency Department visit using statewide data for prescriptions and Medicaid billing data for medication administration augmented with patient self-report MOUD at scheduled follow-up intervals.

Countries

United States

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 5, 2026