Initiation and Engagement of Substance Use Disorder Treatment (IET)
What is the IET — HEDIS® Measure?
The percentage of new substance use disorder (SUD) episodes for adolescents and adults that result in treatment initiation and engagement.
To meet numerator compliance, the two rates must be completed:
- Initiation of SUD Treatment: Members with new SUD episodes resulting in treatment initiation through an inpatient SUD admission, outpatient visit, intensive outpatient encounter or partial hospitalization, telehealth or medication treatment within 14 days of the SUD Episode Date
- Engagement of SUD Treatment: Members with new SUD episodes must have evidence of treatment engagement within 34 days of initiation
The following medications are related to the IET:
| Description | Prescription |
|---|---|
| Aldehyde dehydrogenase inhibitor | Disulfiram (oral) |
| Antagonist | Naltrexone (oral and injectable) |
| Other | Acamprosate (oral; delayed-release tablet) |
| Description | Prescription |
|---|---|
| Antagonist | Naltrexone (oral and injectable) |
| Partial agonist | Buprenorphine (sublingual tablet, injection, implant) Buprenorphine/naloxone (sublingual tablet, buccal film, sublingual film) |
NCQA HEDIS Population Definition for This Measure:
Population: Members ages 13 years and older as of the SUD episode date
Line of Business: Commercial, Medicaid, Medicare
- Reference: Initiation and Engagement of Substance Use Disorder Treatment (IET), NCQA HEDIS Tech Specifications
Best Practices
- Discuss the importance of timely, recommended follow-up visits.
- Encourage patient to bring their discharge paperwork to their first appointment.
- Use the same diagnosis for substance use at each follow-up.
- Coordinate care between behavioral health and Primary Care Physicians:
- Share progress notes and updates
- Include the diagnosis
- Reach out to patients who cancel appointments and assist them with rescheduling.
- Consider telemedicine visits when in-person visits are not available.
- Consider social determinants of health (SDOH) factors as possible barriers to health equity.
- Do not use a non-substance diagnosis code for this measure.
- If applicable, notify our Concurrent Review team of the patient's aftercare information on the day of discharge.
To learn more about your practice's current HEDIS performance, HEDIS Value sets for this or other measures, or for assistance in compliance with the HEDIS guidelines, please email BH_HEDISTeam@HorizonBlue.com or visit Provider Tips for Optimizing HEDIS Results Booklet.