Did you know that in 2020, 41.1 million Americans needed substance use disorder (SUD) treatment but only 6.5% received it?

Currently, there are multiple barriers preventing people with SUD getting the treatment they need. The American Society of Addiction Medicine has identified some of these challenges, such as “stigma around substance use, inadequate medical training, skepticism about medications and treatment, and lack of clinician confidence in treating patients with addiction.”

At Cordant, we’re working to support clinicians and patients in overcoming these barriers to needed SUD treatment.

One way we do this is through our Cordant Pharmacy Solutions™ managed medication-assisted treatment (MAT) pharmacy program. Our program supports clinicians who treat patients with opioid use disorder (OUD) by delivering the patients’ medication to them during an already-scheduled treatment visit—or even directly to the patient’s home for providers with telemedicine programs—thus reducing stigma and ensuring easy access to hard-to-find treatment medications like buprenorphine. Cordant can also deliver long-acting injectables like Vivitrol® and Sublocade® in select states to providers for in-office administration.

This convenient and nonjudgmental medication access can help improve patients’ adherence to and attitude toward maintaining a treatment plan. In a recent survey, 92% of patients said that they are more likely to adhere to their treatment plans and attend their appointments when they receive medication at their doctor’s office through Cordant’s program.

“I feel like [the program] helps me because I know everyone truly cares and I don’t have to get stared at in my other pharmacy,” said one Kentucky-based program patient participant.

In addition to patient feedback and anecdotes, the program’s outcomes speak volumes.

Results from a peer-reviewed study published in the Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment in 2021 found a 52% higher treatment retention rate, 41% fewer drug-related ER visits and 46% fewer opioid relapses for those involved in Cordant’s managed MAT pharmacy program when compared to a control group.