The Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS^®)¹ is one of health care’s most widely used performance improvement tools. More specifically, it is a core set of measures that provide an in-depth analysis of the quality of care that health care organizations provide to their customers. Collectively, behavioral health HEDIS measures help ensure that our customers (your patients) receive affordable quality care when and where they need it most.

Initiation and Engagement of Substance Use Disorder Treatment

As one of the behavioral health HEDIS measures, Initiation and Engagement of Substance Use Disorder Treatment (IET) uses two measurements to improve rates at which individuals with a substance use disorder (SUD) initiate and engage in treatment.

• Initiation – Individuals who initiate treatment within 14 days of diagnosis. Initiation can happen through inpatient SUD admission, outpatient visits, intensive outpatient encounters, partial hospitalization, telehealth visits, or medication treatment.
• Engagement – Individuals who had two additional SUD treatments within 34 days of initiating treatment.

The IET measure is important because 48.7 million individuals in the U.S. 12 years of age or older (approximately 17.3% of the population) were classified as having had an SUD within the past year in 2022.² Early and regular SUD treatment, including medication therapy, has been shown to improve outcomes for individuals with SUDs.²

SUD treatment outcomes for providers participating with Evernorth^®

For the time period of January 1, 2023, to December 31, 2023, there was a slight decrease in initiation and engagement rates; however, the HEDIS criteria goal was met.

By working together, we can continue to meet this HEDIS measure and improve the lives of those living with an SUD.

Tips to improve outcomes for SUD treatment

To help your patients comply with their aftercare and treatment plans, consider the following tips:

• Schedule any follow-up appointments to occur within 14 days, before the patient leaves the office or inpatient facility.
• Maintain appointment availability in your practice for recent hospital discharges.
• Explain the importance of follow-up to your patients.
• Utilize phone, email, or text appointment reminders to help ensure patients attend their scheduled appointments.
• Reach out to patients who do not keep initial follow-up appointments and reschedule them as soon as possible.
• Offer telehealth visits for patients who are unable to come to the office within 14 days of an SUD diagnosis. Telehealth services count for HEDIS measures and can be utilized by patients.
• Promote coordination of care and communication between medical professionals.

Additional resources

For more information about the IET HEDIS measure, visit the IET page on the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) website. You can also find information about all other HEDIS measures and technical resources on this website.

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

2. NCQA. “Initiation and Engagement of Substance Use Disorder Treatment (IET).” NCQA. 2025. Retrieved from https://www.ncqa.org/report-cards/health-plans/state-of-health-care-quality-report/initiation-and-engagement-of-substance-use-disorder-treatment-iet/.