Lebanon, N.H.-based Dartmouth Health's Addiction Treatment Program is participating in a five-year, nationwide study to test strategies to help new patients stay in treatment and stable patients to end treatment safely when ready.
The study is currently enrolling participants, delivering treatment, and tracking patient progress, according to an Oct. 3 news release. It tests three strategies for keeping patients in medication treatment: medication dosage; medication delivery, and half of the participants will use a mobile app throughout their treatment. The app adds treatment reminders and rewards for staying on track.
According to Luke Archibald, MD, the director of addiction services at Dartmouth Health, the second part of the study is helping providers understand how to help stable patients taper off the medication and end treatment.
"Even if a patient is stable, they can experience withdrawal. This study will help us understand rates of tapering off medication and the timeframe for ending treatment," said Dr. Archibald.
The study is currently recruiting participants for the retention and discontinuation portions of the project.