Handbook of Office-Based Buprenorphine Treatment of Opioid Dependence

The Handbook of Office-Based Buprenorphine Treatment of Opioid Dependence will serve as a reliable guide for the addition of buprenorphine treatment into existing clinical practices, both for psychiatrists and other clinicians. Adopting a new treatment modality can be challenging, yet the need to expand treatment services to include buprenorphine is urgent -- and this book meets both challenges. The potential to improve the lives of patients with the disease of opioid addiction is great, and this book offers concrete and practical advice for managing patients in an office-based setting. This handbook • Highlights the importance of counseling as an essential component of quality buprenorphine treatment• Provides the dimensions of assessment and available treatment options to ensure that patients receive the appropriate intensity of care• Urges clinicians to locate therapists trained in cognitive-behavior therapy, motivational enhancement therapy, and 12-step facilitation• Stresses the importance of care coordination with treatment counselors in order to deliver maximally effective buprenorphine treatment

Distinguished practicing psychiatrists, internists, and other clinical experts and researchers contribute their expertise with buprenorphine to this volume. It covers the subject matter thoroughly -- from the history of opioid abuse and assessment criteria for potential patients to clinical management and psychiatric comorbidity. Chapters provide succinct conclusions and clinical pearls summarizing content regarding, among other topics, • General opioid pharmacology and the efficacy and safety of buprenorphine treatment programs• Detailed information about the clinical use of buprenorphine• Clinical management strategies for successful integration of the medication into private practices• Medical management, logistical considerations, and opioid use by adolescents

This handbook provides the tools and guidelines necessary to help providers cultivate a therapeutic environment for treating opioid addiction that minimizes problem behaviors and optimizes treatment outcomes. The requirements for setting up a successful office-based treatment program are provided in detail. A screening questionnaire for patients and sample informed consent forms are provided. Because there is flexibility in how the necessary elements can be incorporated into existing programs, providers will learn through this handbook how to tailor their opioid addiction treatment plan to the needs of their particular practice and patients. Case vignettes, charts, and tables make the subject matter easily accessible for readers ranging from students to well-established practitioners.

Clinicians will find this handbook an invaluable resource for successfully treating an increasing number of patients who struggle with the disease of opioid addiction.