2024 Award Recipients – Learning Health System Scientist Training And Research in NJ

Holly Poore, PhD
Faculty Instructor, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
Project title: Implementation Study of the Comprehensive Addiction Risk Evaluation System (CARES) in a Health Care Setting

Substance use disorders (SUDs) impact approximately 40 million individuals in the United States, yet only 13% receive treatment, partially due to unstandardized screening and limited access to care. Overburdened primary care providers (PCPs) and a lack of integration of scientific advances in SUD risk assessment further impede progress. The Comprehensive Addiction Risk Evaluation System (CARES), developed by the Rutgers Addiction Research Center, addresses these challenges by providing personalized SUD risk evaluations based on behavioral, environmental, and genetic factors, and by connecting individuals to tailored resources. This learning health system study aims to evaluate and pilot the implementation of CARES in healthcare settings. In Year 1, implementation mapping will be conducted in collaboration with RWJBarnabas Health to assess feasibility, design strategies, and develop protocols. In Year 2, a small pilot at one RWJBH clinic will assess provider and patient experiences with CARES through qualitative feedback. The goal is to enhance early identification and intervention for SUDs, advancing a predictive, preventative, and personalized approach to care.

Jennifer Miles, PhD
Instructor, Center for Health Services Research, Rutgers Institute for Health, Health Care Policy and Aging Research
Project title: Translating Evidence on Opioid Overdose Prevention into Practice: Implementation and Outcomes of Emergency Department Interventions for Patients Treated for Overdose

The opioid overdose epidemic in the United States remains a critical public health challenge, with emergency departments (EDs) emerging as pivotal intervention points for individuals at high risk of overdose death. Despite evidence that medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD), such as buprenorphine, significantly reduce overdose risk, uptake in EDs remains limited. To address this, Rutgers researchers, in collaboration with the RWJBarnabas Health system and the Institute for Peer Recovery (IFPR), aim to develop and evaluate provider-focused strategies to enhance MOUD engagement in EDs. Building on prior initiatives that increased ED buprenorphine prescribing rates from less than 1% in 2022 to 23% in 2023, this study will implement a physician-led education campaign and motivational interviewing (MI) training for ED providers. Through qualitative interviews and a stepped-wedge trial across 12 RWJBH EDs, the study will assess implementation outcomes, including adoption, appropriateness, and reach, and examine preliminary effects on buprenorphine uptake among naloxone-reversed patients. Findings will inform future interventions to expand MI training system-wide and strengthen ED-based strategies for sustained MOUD engagement, ultimately reducing overdose mortality.