title: Can monitoring consumer requests for opioid-replacement therapy improve access to treatment?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study examined data recorded by one urban publicly funded opioid-replacement therapy clinic (from 2009 to 2011) to identify whether these data could be used to inform the rostering of clinicians more effectively to improve access to treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data analysis incorporated descriptive and inferential methods.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were trends in the times of the year consumers seek opioid-replacement therapy, similarity and differences between gender requests for treatment and variation in consumer wait time on triage.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  National reporting of opioid-replacement therapy triages would help gain a better understanding of the number of people in need of treatment. If opioid-replacement therapy providers monitored consumer triages, they could roster more effectively, have gender-specific clinicians available, acknowledge and inform consumers of wait time on triage and allow re-orientation of services to lower wait time.
authors.affiliation: Central Queensland University Australia, Institute for Health and Social Science Research, Building 5, Bruce Highway Rockhampton, Qld 4702, Australia. Email: .
authors.forename: Warren
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Harlow
authors.affiliation: Central Queensland University Australia, Institute for Health and Social Science Research, Building 5, Bruce Highway Rockhampton, Qld 4702, Australia. Email: .
authors.forename: Brenda
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Happell
authors.affiliation: University of Newcastle Port Macquarie, University Drive, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia. Email:
authors.forename: Graeme
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Browne
authors.affiliation: Central Queensland University Australia, Institute for Health and Social Science Research, Building 5, Bruce Highway Rockhampton, Qld 4702, Australia. Email: .
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Browne
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D058850:Opiate Substitution Treatment; D011793:Queensland; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D016320:Substance Abuse Treatment Centers; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy*; D014218:Triage / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends