Moderator: @MillimanHealth

Time: Tuesday, September 29, 2020, 1 pm EST / 11 am MST

About this chat: It’s unusual for an epidemic and a pandemic to occur simultaneously. However, that is what is now happening in the United States where the opioid epidemic is being exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the U.S, there may have been as many as 3.8 million Americans with opioid use disorder (OUD) in 2018, with many more people on the verge of being recognized as having the disorder. COVID-19 has affected the delivery of care and utilization for these patients.

In this Twitter chat, Milliman’s Stoddard Davenport, Katie Matthews, and Joseph Boschert will discuss the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the opioid epidemic, OUD patients, and the U.S. healthcare system in general.

Rules of engagement

• To participate in the chat, follow the hashtag #OUDCOVIDChat.
• Answer Q1, Q2, Q3… with A1, A2, A3….
• Engage other users and make connections.

Questions

Q1: The focus on deaths related to opioids has been called an epidemic in the U.S. Why is this? How many people have been affected? #OUDCOVIDChat

Q2: Can you tell us about when the opioid epidemic really came to the forefront in the U.S. and why? #OUDCOVIDChat

Q3: Now that a pandemic and epidemic are happening simultaneously, how could the COVID-19 pandemic affecting those with opioid use disorder? #OUDCOVIDChat

Q4: Research shows there are factors that can lead to opioid dependency. What are some of those factors? #OUDCOVIDChat

Q5: Most states have reported stark increases in opioid-related mortality since the start of the pandemic. How has the pandemic complicated the barriers faced by clinicians and individuals as they work toward recovery? #OUDCOVIDChat

Q6: What are some of the treatment options for individuals diagnosed with OUD right now? Have there been any changes in treatment options? #OUDCOVIDChat

Q7: Do you see a clear resolution to the opioid epidemic in the near future? What would a successful resolution look like? #OUDCOVIDChat

Q8: How could the COVID-19 pandemic possibly affect this resolution? #OUDCOVIDChat

Q9: Are there methods available for identifying future opioid use disorder risk? #OUDCOVIDChat

Q10: Are there other substances that we should keep an eye on in the future? #OUDCOVIDChat