Integrating Buprenorphine Treatment into a Public Healthcare System: The San Francisco Department of Public Health's Office-Based Buprenorphine Pilot Program

Despite well-documented efficacy, US physicians have been relatively slow to embrace the use of buprenorphine for the treatment of opioid dependence. In order to introduce and support the use of buprenorphine across the San Francisco Department of Public Health system of care, the Buprenorphine Pilot Program was initiated in 2003. Program treatment sites included a centralized buprenorphine induction clinic and program pharmacy, and three community-based treatment sites; two primary care clinics and a private dual diagnosis group practice. The target patient population consisted of opioid-dependent patients typically seen in an urban, public health setting, including individuals experiencing extreme poverty, homelessness/unstable housing, unemployment, polysubstance abuse/dependence, coexisting mental health disorders, and/or little psychosocial support. This program evaluation reviews patient characteristics, treatment retention, substance use over time, patient impressions, and provider practices for the 57 patients admitted between 9/1/03 and 8/31/05. At baseline, over 80% of patients were injecting heroin, over 40% were homeless, and over one-third were using cocaine. Outcomes included an overall one-year retention rate of 61%, a rapid and dramatic decline in opioid use, very positive patient impressions of the program and of buprenorphine, and significant shifts in provider practices over time.