Characteristics and Economic Outcomes of Treated and Untreated Patients Diagnosed with Opioid Use Disorder

Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) imposes significant burdens on healthcare systems, leading to increased costs and utilization. Limited real-world data exist on the healthcare resource use, charges, and impact of medications for OUD (MOUD). This study aimed to characterize healthcare use and costs in treated and untreated OUD patients. Adult patients diagnosed with OUD from January 2017, until April 2022, with at least 1 year of follow-up within the University of Utah Healthcare System (UHealth) were included. Patients were identified using ICD codes and data was extracted from electronic health record data system. Of 6,059 OUD patients, 3,474 (57%) received MOUD. Treated patients were younger (median age: 38.7 vs. 50.9 years), more often male (53% vs. 46%), and insured by Medicaid (40%). MOUD initiation was highest in emergency medicine (32%) and psychiatry (25%). Adjusted all-cause charges were similar for treated and untreated patients ($11,192.23 vs. $14,744.20, p = 0.964). Treated mothers had lower rates of spontaneous abortions/miscarriages (6% vs. 16%, p < 0.0005). The initiation of MOUD is influenced by demographic and clinical factors. While treatment with MOUD did not significantly impact all-cause healthcare charges, improvement in clinic outcomes such as improved maternal and newborn health outcomes were observed.