Opioid addiction has become a national crisis and those seeking treatment often have few options due to limited resources. This creates a barrier to recovery, resulting in many being discouraged from the process.
To improve the availability of treatment, ClearChoiceMD Urgent Care offers Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) at our Portsmouth and Epping locations. In honor of National Recovery Month, we’re taking a look at what MAT is and how the program operates.
What is MAT?
Medication Assisted Treatment, aka MAT, is the combined use of medication and behavioral therapy to treat substance use disorders and more specifically, opioid addiction. The MAT Program at ClearChoiceMD focuses on the medication portion of the treatment with counseling and behavioral therapy managed independently outside of the centers. While there are a few different medications that can be used for MAT, ClearChoiceMD specifically uses buprenorphine.
Who qualifies for MAT?
MAT is available to a variety of patients, including pregnant and breastfeeding mothers. Our team works closely with local hospitals, recovery centers, homeless shelters, and primary care offices to increase awareness of treatment availability. Most insurers cover treatment, and ClearChoiceMD Urgent Care offers prompt-pay options for those without insurance.
How does MAT work?
The first step to signing up for MAT is an intake call with the MAT Program Coordinator. Within 24-48 hours of the intake call, an induction date is scheduled. Next, patients are medically cleared to participate in the program and discuss a treatment plan with a provider. At the beginning of the program, appointments occur weekly and transition to monthly visits once the patient becomes stabilized. ClearChoiceMD Urgent Care is happy to assist with coordinating follow up care and counseling for both patients and loved ones.
MAT services offered at our participating centers are available seven days a week, 8 am – 8 pm. Appointments are required before treatment, but our extended hours allow flexibility for all patients. To learn more about ClearChoiceMD Urgent Care’s MAT Program, or to sign up for these services, reach out to the MAT Program Coordinator at (207) 205-0007.