Prehospital Use of Medication-Assisted Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder: A Rapid Review of Implementation Approaches and Outcomes

Publications Category : Emergency Medicine

Author(s): Christian Angelo Ventura, Edward Eliseus Denton

Project Description : This study aimed to evaluate the use of prehospital medication-assisted treatment (MAT) administration by Emergency Medical Services for opioid use disorder (OUD) through a review of literature published between 2014–2024. A search of the NCBI repository using selected keywords returned N=28 results; articles meeting the inclusion criteria (n=13) were reviewed and analyzed. Heterogeneity among studies was assessed using the Chi-squared test and I² statistic. Studies were categorized into two primary domains: implementation and protocols or patient outcomes. Findings suggest that while MAT administration extends on-scene time, it significantly improves patient retention in OUD treatment. However, operational challenges, including geographical disparities in access and racial inequities in retention, limit widespread implementation. This review underscores the consistent safety of prehospital MAT …