Project Grant K23DA062752

Federal Grant Award Summary

Albert Einstein College of Medicine received a $199,584 Project Grant award from the National Institute on Drug Abuse under the Drug Use and Addiction Research Programs (CFDA 93.279) beginning March 15, 2026 and concluding February 28, 2031. Under this five-year mentored research and career development award, Dr. Michele Buonora will conduct a hybrid effectiveness-implementation study examining the safety, effectiveness, and implementation of patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) for acute pain management in hospitalized individuals with opioid use disorder (POUD). The research addresses a critical clinical gap, as standard opioid dosing strategies often prove insufficient in this population due to opioid tolerance, opioid-induced hyperalgesia, and medication interactions, yet PCA remains largely untested in POUD despite proven efficacy in non-POUD populations.

The project deliverables include a pilot randomized controlled trial conducted at two large teaching hospitals in New York City, with one hospital receiving a PCA-facilitation intervention and the second serving as a control site. The study will generate safety data (measuring in-hospital opioid overdose, sedation, and falls), effectiveness metrics (pain intensity, patient satisfaction, and rates of self-directed discharge), and implementation research findings examining factors influencing PCA adoption in hospitalized POUD. Through partnership with a community leadership board, this investigation will establish evidence to support dissemination of improved acute pain management protocols for this underserved population while supporting Dr. Buonora's development as an independent clinician investigator in implementation science.