Center for Healthcare Policy and Research | UC Davis Health

Research, education and policy

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Research spotlight

Can telehealth help patients stick with Buprenorphine for opioid addiction?

A clinical trial led by our researchers aims to improve the long-term use of buprenorphine, a critical medication for treating patients with opioid use disorder. The new study focuses on patients prescribed buprenorphine in emergency departments, where there is a need for effective follow-up care.

The $6.4 million study is funded by the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI). It will explore the efficacy of telehealth compared to in-person follow-up appointments. The project is designed to address barriers that many patients face, including low income, lack of transportation and social instability.

A nurse in an emergency department holds a phone in one hand and a clipboard in the other hand.
  • November 06, 2025

    Hot Topics in Kidney Health podcast explores study on patient transportation

    What does it mean to design a study with patients, not just for them, and why does that shift matter for kidney care outcomes? Na’amah Razon and Bethney Bonilla from the Center for Healthcare Policy and Research answer these questions and more in a podcast with the National Kidney Foundation (NKF). 

    Listen on the NKF website
  • OCTOBER 22, 2025

    Your top low back pain questions answered

    UC Davis family and community medicine doctor Joshua Fenton answers the top 10 questions people ask about low back pain. He led a Center for Healthcare Policy and Research study testing communication strategies to reduce low-value, lower back (lumbar) spinal imaging.

    Read the story
  • October 15, 2025

    What's at stake with federal research funding cuts

    From Labs to Lives highlights the life-changing impact of federally funded research at UC Davis from medicine to food, agriculture to technology. 

    Read the story
  • October 06, 2025

    Heart failure patients benefit from “whole health” approach

    The Koa Family Program supports “whole health” for heart failure patients like Barbara Tiney and has shown positive outcomes in improving overall well-being. The Koa Family Program was created by the Center for Healthcare Policy and Research.

    Read the story
  • September 16, 2025

    Podcast: Aimee Moulin on expanding opioid treatment in emergency departments

    How can emergency departments become a gateway to treatment for opioid use disorder? In a Health Affairs interview, Aimee Moulin shares insights from her study on expanding low-barrier access to treatment and improving patient navigation in emergency settings. Moulin is a physician and investigator with the Center for Healthcare Policy and Research.

    Listen on Health Affairs