Performance Management Model of Methadone Maintenance Treatment Centers: Challenges and Strategies

Substance use disorder has led to various psychosocial and health-relatedproblems worldwide. The solution for reducing negative consequences associated withsubstance use is Methadone maintenance treatment (MMT). This study aims to design amanagement model in the centers for substance use disorder treatment in Shiraz, Fars, 2019. This qualitative research is a grounded theory (GT) study using Strauss and Corbin’sstrategy for data collection. We used a theoretical approach of sampling and interviewed 21staff members of MMT centers. Data analysis was simultaneously done with data collection. After analyzing all the interviews, we defined treatment challenges as the central issuein MMT centers. Also, we determined causal conditions, context, and intervening conditions.Causal conditions include weakness in supervision, insufficient training, technicians’weaknesses, and underestimation of the importance of prevention. Poor teamwork, lack ofmotivation, and inappropriate personnel competency were among the interventional factors.We found that contextual factors were due to inefficient public policies, limitations in issuingnew licenses for new centers, and insufficient income centers. At last, we extracted the initialperformance management model. To sum up, people who apply for work in MMT centers must take specificpsychological tests before recruitment. To increase efficiency, MMT centers need financialand economic support. Developing more MMT centers and, at the same time, expandingrecovery programs such as social aid, psychotherapy, and medical care will help build ahealthy environment and encourage the abusers to return to everyday life.