2018
Lessons Learned from the Implementation of a Medically Enhanced Residential Treatment (MERT) Model Integrating Intravenous Antibiotics and Residential Addiction Treatment
Englander H, Wilson T, Collins D, Phoutrides E, Weimer M, Korthuis PT, Calcagni J, Nicolaidis C. Lessons Learned from the Implementation of a Medically Enhanced Residential Treatment (MERT) Model Integrating Intravenous Antibiotics and Residential Addiction Treatment. Substance Abuse 2018, 39: 225-232. PMID: 29595367, PMCID: PMC6519053, DOI: 10.1080/08897077.2018.1452326.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSubstance use disordersIntravenous antibioticsLong-term intravenous antibioticsSkilled nursing facility admissionsAddiction medicine serviceIntravenous antibiotic coursesNursing facility admissionsResidential SUD treatment facilityResidential treatmentPhysical health needsResidential SUD treatmentSUD treatment facilitiesResidential addiction treatmentAntibiotic coursesResidential treatment modelMixed-methods evaluationChart reviewUntreated painFacility admissionPICC linesSevere infectionsSUD careSUD treatmentMedicine serviceUse disorders
2016
Correlates of prescription opioid therapy in Veterans with chronic pain and history of substance use disorder
Lovejoy TI, Dobscha SK, Turk DC, Weimer MB, Morasco BJ. Correlates of prescription opioid therapy in Veterans with chronic pain and history of substance use disorder. The Journal Of Rehabilitation Research And Development 2016, 53: 25-36. PMID: 27005461, DOI: 10.1682/jrrd.2014.10.0230.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsLong-term opioid therapyPrescription opioid therapySubstance use disordersOpioid therapyChronic painSUD historyPain diagnosisUse disordersChronic noncancer painVeterans Affairs electronic medical recordsPain-related functioningLow chronic painElectronic medical recordsNoncancer painOpioid medicationsOpioid prescriptionsClinical characteristicsPain severityPain interferencePharmacy dataMedical recordsPainPsychosocial questionnairesPatientsTherapyA Chronic Opioid Therapy Dose Reduction Policy in Primary Care
Weimer MB, Hartung DM, Ahmed S, Nicolaidis C. A Chronic Opioid Therapy Dose Reduction Policy in Primary Care. Substance Abuse 2016, 37: 141-147. PMID: 26685018, DOI: 10.1080/08897077.2015.1129526.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsHigh-dose opioidsChronic opioid therapyOpioid therapyOpioid doseDose taperAcademic primary care clinicHigh-dose opioid therapyHigher opioid doseIntervention of educationOpioid dose reductionTotal opioid doseRetrospective cohort studyCharacteristics of patientsPrimary care clinicsOpioid use disorderMedication-assisted treatmentAverage daily doseOnly significant associationMorphine equivalentsOpioid dosesCohort studyPatient characteristicsDaily doseCare clinicsChronic pain
2013
Sex Differences in the Medical Care of VA Patients with Chronic Non‐Cancer Pain
Weimer MB, Macey TA, Nicolaidis C, Dobscha SK, Duckart JP, Morasco BJ. Sex Differences in the Medical Care of VA Patients with Chronic Non‐Cancer Pain. Pain Medicine 2013, 14: 1839-1847. PMID: 23802846, PMCID: PMC3866355, DOI: 10.1111/pme.12177.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsChronic opioid therapyPain-related diagnosesPrimary care utilizationChronic painOpioid therapyCare utilizationEmergency departmentGreater oddsSevere chronic non-cancer painFemale veteransChronic non-cancer painSex differencesNon-cancer painRetrospective cohort studyInflammatory bowel diseasePhysical therapy referralsLow back painVeterans Affairs systemMultivariate logistic regressionPain-related complaintsVA administrative dataMental health diagnosesSubstance use disordersMore pain conditionsMedical comorbiditiesPatterns of care and side effects for patients prescribed methadone for treatment of chronic pain.
Macey TA, Weimer MB, Grimaldi EM, Dobscha SK, Morasco BJ. Patterns of care and side effects for patients prescribed methadone for treatment of chronic pain. Journal Of Opioid Management 2013, 9: 325-33. PMID: 24353045, PMCID: PMC4001870, DOI: 10.5055/jom.2013.0175.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsChronic painSide effectsSingle VA medical centerInitiation of methadoneInsufficient pain reliefCardiac side effectsChronic pain patientsHealth service utilizationPatterns of careMedical record dataVA Medical CenterNew initiationOpioid initiationPain reliefPain patientsQTc prolongationSustained releaseService utilizationClinical dataClinical significanceMedical CenterCalendar year 2008PatientsClinical information systemsMethadone