Initiation and engagement of substance use disorder treatment (IET)

Early identification and continued treatment for individuals diagnosed with a substance use disorder are crucial in preventing future drug-related illnesses, relapse, and overdose, thereby improving quality of life. 

Recognizing the importance of this, the NCQA’s HEDIS (Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set) program includes a measure for Initiation and Engagement of Substance Use Disorder Treatment (IET). The IET HEDIS measure assesses the percentage of new substance use disorder (SUD) episodes that result in treatment initiation within 14 days (initiation rate) followed by treatment engagement within 34 days of initiation (engagement rate).

To improve patient outcomes, referring patients for treatment and providing support for follow up care is recommended. Follow up services include inpatient SUD admissions, outpatient visits in person or via telehealth, intensive outpatient encounters, partial hospitalizations, and medication management visits. 

What else can you do to improve these measures for your patients? 

  • Use appropriate clinical documentation and correct coding.
  • Maintain appointment availability for patients who have had recent hospital admissions.
  • Explain the importance of follow-up to your patients as part of discharge planning.
  • Support the coordination of assistance for members with competing social demands such as childcare, transportation, and housing that would otherwise prevent them from attending treatment appointments.
  • Reach out to patients who do not keep initial appointments and reschedule them as soon as possible.
  • Remember that telehealth visits with the appropriate diagnosis will meet the follow-up criteria.
  • Submit accurate and timely claims and encounter data.

For complete information, refer to the CarePartners of Connecticut IET HEDIS Tip Sheet. To explore a variety of additional HEDIS topics, please refer to the HEDIS tip sheet page on our provider website.

HEDIS® is a registered trademark of the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA).