Methadone Outcomes Measurement

In the late 1990s, the Methadone Maintenance Programme at Auckland Regional Alcohol & Drug Services (Waitemata DHB) wanted to improve its assessment practices and measure the outcomes of its clients. As Senior Researcher at CIRU (Clinical Information and Research Unit) at the time, Grant Paton-Simpson co-developed a methadone assessment system with psychologist Stuart MacKinnon.

The system had two parts - the Opiate Treatment Index (OTI) for initial intake assessment, and a shortened version of the OTI called the MAT (Methadone Assessment Tool) for subsequent followup assessment. During the course of this project, over 800 OTIs have been completed and nearly 2,500 MATs. As at last 2004, over 400 paired assessments (i.e. both a Time 1 and Time N assessment are available for outcome analysis).

Data analysis has occurred in SPSS based on data collected in MS Access, SPSS, and in a number of different Patient Management Systems used by the Methadone Service over the years.