title: Evaluation of medication-assisted treatment of opioid dependence-The physicians' perspective.
abstract: There is controversy about which outcome parameters should be employed to assess substance use treatment. Subjective measures of medication-assisted treatment (MAT) of opioid dependence are increasingly important. However, while patients' perspectives have been examined, the caregivers' views remain largely unknown. Here, we explore how physicians evaluate MAT, and which predictors are most relevant.
  
  
  
  We conducted a retrospective cohort study of all MAT episodes with oral opioid agonists in the canton of Zurich between 1998 and 2013 using a case register. Termination forms of the register include a physician-completed assessment on the course of the treatment episode. Mixed model analysis was applied to determine relevant predictors.
  
  
  
  The analysis was based on 17,234 episodes from 7432 patients. Mean global assessment of the course of MAT was 'moderate'. The most important predictors for treatment evaluation by physicians were treatment break off as reason for termination (p<0.0001), psychological improvement throughout treatment (p<0.0001), wish for abstinence from the substitute (p<0.0001), social integration index at termination (p<0.0001), and social (p<0.0001) as well as medical (p<0.0001) improvement. The negative association of treatment break off with MAT assessment was more pronounced in semi-rural than urban areas (p<0.0001).
  
  
  
  Predictors relating to the well-being and functioning of the patient as well as the reasons underlying treatment termination appear to be more important for the treating physician's evaluation of medication-assisted treatment episodes than on-going substance use. Coming off the opioid medication plays a central role, independent of ongoing illicit substance use.
authors.affiliation: University of Basel Psychiatric Hospital, Wilhelm Klein-Strasse 27, 4012 Basel, Switzerland; University of British Columbia, Institute of Mental Health, David Strangway Building, Room 430, 5950 University Boulevard, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada. Electronic address: Marc.Vogel@upkbs.ch.
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vogel
authors.affiliation: Center for Addictive Disorders, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric Hospital, University of Zurich, 8001, Zürich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nordt
authors.affiliation: University of Basel Psychiatric Hospital, Wilhelm Klein-Strasse 27, 4012 Basel, Switzerland; Center for Addictive Disorders, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric Hospital, University of Zurich, 8001, Zürich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Kenneth M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Dürsteler
authors.affiliation: University of Basel Psychiatric Hospital, Wilhelm Klein-Strasse 27, 4012 Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Undine E
authors.initials: UE
authors.lastname: Lang
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric Hospital, University of Zurich, 8001, Zürich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Erich
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Seifritz
authors.affiliation: University of British Columbia, Institute of Mental Health, David Strangway Building, Room 430, 5950 University Boulevard, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Krausz
authors.affiliation: Center for Addictive Disorders, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric Hospital, University of Zurich, 8001, Zürich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Marcus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Herdener
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D058850:Opiate Substitution Treatment; D009293:Opioid-Related Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D010352:Patient Dropouts / Q000523:psychology; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology; D012042:Registries; D058992:Social Participation / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013557:Switzerland
keywords: Heroin; Maintenance therapy; Opiate; Predictor; Provider; Replacement therapy; Subjective