Buprenorphine Resource Initiative for Dispensing Guidance and Education

The Buprenorphine Resource Initiative for Dispensing Guidance and Education (BRIDGE) aimed to identify and mitigate pharmacy-level barriers to dispensing buprenorphine for opioid use disorder (OUD) in rural Appalachian communities. The P2P team seeks strategies that can be implemented statewide to increase access to buprenorphine in community pharmacies and improve care for patients with OUD.

Focus groups of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians working in high- and low-dispensing counties informed the development of a pharmacist-to-pharmacist educational outreach initiative, which was conducted in 2024-2025. Surveys and dispensing data are currently being analyzed to evaluate changes in pharmacist attitudes and behaviors following the intervention. Free continuing education activities, pharmacist educational materials, and patient handouts remain available online to help all pharmacy personnel improve buprenorphine dispensing. 

The BRIDGE educational outreach initiative was implemented in 23 Appalachian counties: Bath, Breathitt, Edmonson, Elliott, Estill, Fleming, Garrard, Green, Greenup, Hart, Jackson, Knott, Knox, Lee, Lewis, Lincoln, McCreary, Menifee, Metcalfe, Nicholas, Perry, Rowan, Russell. These counties were selected based on the county rate of buprenorphine dispensing relative to the prevalence of opioid use disorder. 

BRIDGE is funded by the Foundation for Opioid Response Efforts (FORE), an independent, private, national grantmaking organization with a goal of finding and fostering solutions to ending the nation’s opioid and drug overdose crisis.