Building Capacity for Medication Assisted Treatment in Rural Primary Care Practices: The IT MATTTRs Practice Team Training

Abstract

Objectives: In response to rural communities and practice concerns related to opioid use disorder (OUD), the Implementing Technology and Medication Assisted Treatment Team Training in Rural Colorado study (IT MATTTRs) developed a training intervention for full primary care practice (PCP) teams in MAT for OUD. This evaluation reports on training implementation, participant satisfaction, and impact on perceived ability to deliver MAT.

Methods: PCPs in the High Plains Research Network and Colorado Research Network were randomized to receive team training either in-person or through virtual tele-mentoring. Training attendance logs recorded the number of participants and their roles. Participants completed a survey within one month of the last training session to evaluate satisfaction and ability to deliver components of MATs.

Results: 441 team members at 42 PCPs were trained, including 22% clinicians, 47% clinical support staff, 24% administrative support staff. Survey respondents reported high levels of satisfaction, including 82% reporting improved understanding of the topic, and 68% identifying actions to apply information. Self-rated ability was significantly higher after training for all items (P < .0001), including ability to identify patients for MAT and to manage patients receiving MAT. Mean change scores, adjusted for role, were significantly greater for all measures (P < .001) in SOuND practices compared to ECHO practices.

Conclusions: The IT MATTTRs Practice Team Training successfully engaged PCP team members in diverse roles in MAT for OUD training and increased self-efficacy to deliver MAT. Results support the training as a resource for a team-based approach to build rural practices' capacity to deliver MAT.

Keywords: medication assisted treatment; opioid use disorder; primary care; rural; training.

Figure 1.

CONSORT flow diagram: IT MATTTRs practice team training reach and implementation evaluation.

Figure 2.

Self-rated ability related to medication assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid use disorder (OUD) before and after IT MATTTRs Team Training among all survey respondents. P < .0001 for all items, adjusted for role.