If a patient has a severe, ongoing opioid addiction, they may begin their treatment with a medical detox. Our survey of current and former opioid users found that 59% started rehab in an inpatient or residential care, with 29% going through medical detox.
Treatment plans vary depending on each patient’s individual needs. Federal law requires that methadone be dosed at an approved and certified Opioid Treatment Program (OTP). In the initial stages of methadone treatment, patients receive their daily methadone dosage under the supervision of a medical provider. After being established on methadone treatment, patients may be permitted to receive dosages of methadone to take on their own at home, if they have shown they are compliant with treatment according to urine drug screens and monitoring from their medical team.
When a patient first visits a methadone clinic, they are screened and evaluated by the clinic staff. Methadone can become addictive and, based on a patient’s history of drug use, the clinic may decide to closely monitor the patient’s intake. This type of treatment can be dangerous for people with certain health conditions, so it is important for physicians to find out everything about each patient’s background before beginning this type of treatment.