Patient satisfaction with primary care office-based buprenorphine/naloxone treatment

BACKGROUND: Factors associated with satisfaction among patients receiving primary care-based buprenorphine/naloxone are unknown. OBJECTIVE: To identify factors related to patient satisfaction in patients receiving primary care-based buprenorphine/naloxone that varied in counseling intensity (20 vs 45 minutes) and office visit frequency (weekly vs thrice weekly). DESIGN AND PARTICIPANTS: One hundred and forty-two opioid-dependent subjects. MEASUREMENTS: Demographics, drug treatment history, and substance use status at baseline and during treatment were collected. The primary outcome was patient satisfaction at 12 weeks. RESULTS: Patients' mean overall satisfaction score was 4.4 (out of 5). Patients were most satisfied with the medication and ancillary services and indicated strong willingness to refer a substance-abusing friend for the same treatment. Patients were least satisfied with their interactions with other opioid-dependent patients, referrals to Narcotics Anonymous, and the inconvenience of the treatment location. Female gender (beta=.17, P=.04) and non-White ethnicity/race (beta=.17, P=.04) independently predicted patient satisfaction. Patients who received briefer counseling and buprenorphine/ naloxone dispensed weekly had greater satisfaction than those whose medication was dispensed thrice weekly (mean difference 4.9, 95% confidence interval 0.08 to 9.80, P=.03). CONCLUSIONS: Patients are satisfied with primary care office-based buprenorphine/naloxone. Providers should consider the identified barriers to patient satisfaction.