Treating Opioid Use Disorder on the Inpatient Psychiatric Unit: A Novel Buprenorphine Consultation Service

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

This brief report describes the utilization and outcomes of a new buprenorphine (BUP) consultation service designed to treat opioid use disorder (OUD) among patients hospitalized in a psychiatric inpatient facility. This retrospective study analyzed the medical records of 123 patients who received a BUP consult between January 2018 and August 2020 in a hospital in New York. The OUD patient population was predominantly white male and most had co-occurring psychiatric conditions. The consultation team provided services including medication induction, motivational interviewing, and discharge planning. As a result, patients were able to engage in treatment discussions and induction during hospitalization. This consultation model may help bridge the systemic gap between OUD (or even other substance use disorders) and mental health care, though further research is needed due to the study’s single-site scope and limited demographic scope.

 

Minor:

1. Table 1 and 2: Replace (N, %) with N (%) in the variable column.
2. Table 1 and 2: Please bold the main variable groupings for better readability.
3. Discussion: Please expand on what types of “motivational counseling” were feasible during acute psychosis to make this claim more credible.

Author Response

Comment 1: Table 1 and 2: Replace (N, %) with N (%) in the variable column.

Response 1: We have changed this in both tables

Comment 2: Table 1 and 2: Please bold the main variable groupings for better readability.

Response 2: We have bolded the grouping variables.

Comment 3: Discussion: Please expand on what types of “motivational counseling” were feasible during acute psychosis to make this claim more credible.

Response 3: We have added a few sentences about the types of motivational counseling used.

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The topic is so important and interesting for its focus on the comorbidities among addiction and other psychiatric disorders (Depressive disorders, Scz, ASD, etc.). I recommend this paper for acceptance after addressing some minor issues. Please consider the following items in your revised version to increase the readership:

1-The authors need to include other similar efforts in the discussion section for example in Methadone Maintenance Treatment. 

2-The authors should include the genetic option of patient screening along with these questionnaires for future studies. The combination of these approaches can be find in Personalized Medicine therapy. The authors can add this as a suggestion in the last lines of Discussion section. 

Author Response

Comment 1: The authors need to include other similar efforts in the discussion section for example in Methadone Maintenance Treatment. 

Response 1: Thank you. We have added to the limitations that we do not have information regarding engagement in methadone maintenance treatment in this study.

Comment 2: The authors should include the genetic option of patient screening along with these questionnaires for future studies. The combination of these approaches can be find in Personalized Medicine therapy. The authors can add this as a suggestion in the last lines of Discussion section. 

Response 2: We have added a few sentences to the last paragraph of the discussion.