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Clinical Impact and Cost-Effectiveness of Integrating Infectious Disease Care into Rapid-Access Substance Use Bridge Clinics

Award Number: K08DA065497
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DRUG ABUSE
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: TRAINING/TRAINEESHIP
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 03/01/2026
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 02/28/2030

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Clinical Impact and Cost-Effectiveness of Integrating Infectious Disease Care into Rapid-Access Substance Use Bridge Clinics - PROJECT SUMMARY There are an estimated 3.7 million people who inject drugs (PWID) in the US. They are at high risk for morbidity and mortality from drug overdoses, acute bacterial infections, and complications of chronic viral infections such as HIV and hepatitis C. The syndemic of substance use disorder (SUD) and infections leads to poor health outcomes and high healthcare costs. Bridge clinics are rapid-access, transitional models of SUD care which provide timely initiation of medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) and treatment for other SUDs. Compared to the traditional model of referral to separate sites for outpatient SUD and infectious disease (ID) care, bridge clinics provide an opportunity to integrate both SUD and ID care and improve outcomes. This project seeks to determine the clinical impact and cost-effectiveness of integrating ID care into bridge clinics to reduce drug overdose and injection-related infections. To achieve this goal, I have two Specific Aims proposed over a 4-year period: 1) to build a longitudinal database of clinical outcomes and healthcare utilization among PWID who receive care in bridge clinics or in standard outpatient care within the largest healthcare system in Massachusetts, and 2) to expand a novel simulation model of injection drug use and assess the cost- effectiveness of bridge clinics compared to standard outpatient SUD care and of integrating ID care into bridge clinics compared to the traditional separate SUD and ID care sites. I am an infectious disease physician and an early-stage clinician-investigator committed to using the methods of decision science to improve care and outcomes for PWID. I seek to leverage my clinical experience in providing care within a bridge clinic and my research experience in simulation modeling and cost-effectiveness analysis to conduct novel research that informs relevant clinical and health policy questions regarding the syndemic of drug use and related infections. To achieve my proposed research aims, I require additional training in 1) database development and observational cohort analysis (skills I will need to derive novel model inputs), and 2) advanced modeling techniques and methods in cost-effectiveness analysis to address model uncertainty. I will accomplish these research and training aims through rigorous methodologic coursework, seminars, and scientific meetings, with support from an accomplished multidisciplinary mentorship team with expertise in simulation modeling and cost-effectiveness analysis (Dr. Andrea Ciaranello), addiction care and policy (Dr. Sarah Wakeman), and database development and observational cohort analysis (Dr. Virginia Triant). The research aims and complementary training plan will set a foundation for becoming an independent investigator advancing methods in decision science and clinical epidemiology at the intersection of drug use and infectious diseases, and for improving access to care and healthcare outcomes for the millions of people who use drugs in the US.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2026 ( Subtotal = $197,640 )
2026	2026	THE GENERAL HOSPITAL CORPORATION	55 FRUIT ST	BOSTON	MA	02114	SUFFOLK	USA	Drug Use and Addiction Research Programs	000	1	2/17/2026	NEW	$197,640
														Subtotal = $197,640

Grand Total All Awards = $197,640

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Clinical Impact and Cost-Effectiveness of Integrating Infectious Disease Care into Rapid-Access Substance Use Bridge Clinics

Award Number: K08DA065497

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DRUG ABUSE

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: TRAINING/TRAINEESHIP

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 03/01/2026

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 02/28/2030

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