Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) Treatment and Harm Reduction Training Using Augmented Reality (AR) Technology

Lumis Corp., Pittsburgh PA

Investigators

Abstract

Over the last decade, death from drug overdose has created an epidemic across the United States. In 2017, there were 70,237 deaths from drug overdose, including 47,600 deaths involving opioids?a 12% increase from previous opioid overdose deaths [1]. While overdoses related to prescription opioids have decreased, synthetic opioids made up over half of all opioid-related overdose deaths and increased over 40% from the prior year [1]. The goal in this proposal is closely aligned with the mission of the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) to educate clinical providers and lay people towards improving treatment and outcomes for those suffering from substance use disorders (SUDs), specifically in response to a drug overdose. Many barriers have been identified for training providers on SUDs [2, 3]. Simulation-based training has shown promise for training providers about responding to drug overdose during Basic Life Support (BLS) training [4]. However, simulation-based training is resource intensive and can be difficult to implement as current simulator technologies require facilities, staff, and technology support. Overdose education and naloxone distribution (OEND) is associated with improved outcomes for people experiencing opioid overdose as well as decreased drug use by people who participated in OEND programs [5-11]. Increasing access to OEND could expand these positive results. The goal of this Phase I SBIR is to develop and integrate a curriculum for OEND using Lumis?s existing augmented reality (AR) healthcare simulator, the InSight Platform. The InSight Platform incorporates knowledge-based and hands-on training, requires less resources than traditional simulation, and supports broad deployment. The proposed curriculum will include a series of opioid overdose scenarios demonstrating patients in various stages of depressed level of consciousness and physiologic deterioration. These scenarios will allow clinical providers and lay people to train for evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of an opioid overdose with naloxone. Integrating the proposed curriculum for knowledge-based and hands-on training into the InSight Platform has the potential to rapidly and broadly disseminate standardized OEND curriculum. Mixed methods research will: (1) develop and refine a curriculum for providers and patients through structured interviews with subject matter experts (SMEs), (2) integrate curriculum into Lumis? software with iterative feedback from SMEs throughout the process, and (3) evaluate feasibility, usability, and initial learning efficacy through focus groups and training sessions with facility administrators, clinical providers, and lay people.