Family Physicians Play Key Role in Bridging the Gap in Access to Opioid Use Disorder Treatment

Buprenorphine prescribing in primary care is a key bottleneck in the access to medications for opioid use disorder (OUD). In a Medicare claims study including family medicine, internal medicine, general practice, and psychiatry, the largest share of buprenorphine prescribers were family physicians. Given that family physicians care for patients of all ages and in a broad variety of settings, including urban and rural areas, they have the potential to dramatically improve national access.