Evaluating the Impact of Multidisciplinary Care on Opioid Use Disorder: A Retrospective Study of Buprenorphine/Naloxone-Assisted Treatment in a Family Medicine Residency

Background: Medications for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD) with buprenorphine/naloxone improves opioid-use-disorder (OUD) outcomes, yet sustaining engagement is challenging. Pharmacist integration within MOUD teams enhances safety and adherence. We evaluated a pharmacist-augmented MOUD model embedded in a family-medicine residency clinic. Methods: Adults with OUD treated between October 2020 and July 2024 formed a retrospective cohort. Eligibility required ≥ 1 clinic visit; polysubstance use excluded. Descriptive statistics summarized cohort characteristics; single-sample t-tests compared local outcomes with a published physician–pharmacist trial (Wu et al.). Variables included demographics, psychiatric comorbidities, induction site, Clinical Opiate Withdrawal Scale scores, urine drug screens (UDS), visit cadence, and retention rate. Results: Fourteen of 30 screened patients met criteria (50% male; mean age 43 y). A clinical pharmacist participated in all MOUD visits. Induction was on-site for 78.6%, and 85.7% had ≥ 1 psychiatric comorbidity. Negative-UDS consistency was 85.7% versus 95.1% in Wu et al. (p = 0.21). The retention rate was 35.7% versus 88.7% in Wu et al. (p < 0.0001) but lay within the wider U.S. range of 19–64%. Two patients (14.3%) achieved remission after a median of six visits; three (21.4%) remained engaged ≥ 3 months. Conclusions: Embedding pharmacists in a residency-based MOUD program yielded high medication adherence and UDS consistency comparable to collaborative-care trials, but retention lagged. Enhanced behavioral-health integration and provider continuity may bolster long-term engagement while preserving pharmacist-driven safety benefits.