A comprehensive substance abuse evaluation will be completed to determine if you are a candidate for outpatient treatment or if you are in need of a higher level of care as residential or inpatient detoxification.    Many factors are taken in consideration prior to making this decision including prior or current medical complications, number and doses of substances of abuse, living environment, support system, etc.  
At times the induction is started on the day of the substance abuse evaluation, at other times additional information is needed as blood work and a second appointment is scheduled.

Induction
The goal of induction is to switch you from your current opioid (heroin, methadone or a prescription painkiller) on to SUBOXONE. You MUST take your first dose of suboxone after you are already experiencing mild-to-moderate opioid withdrawal symptoms. This point cannot be emphasized enough. If you take SUBOXONE before you are in withdrawal, the medication will make you feel worse because it can cause withdrawal symptoms.
The goal is to induce treatment smoothly and suppress withdrawal as completely and rapidly as possible.  Failure to do so may cause the patient use opioids, alcohol, benzodiazepines or other medications to alleviate opioid withdrawal symptoms, or it may lead to early treatment dropout.
Once you take the first dose of suboxone you can begin to feel some relief within 20 minutes, although the full effects take about an hour.  Your doctor may suggest that you pass the time in the waiting area or by taking a short walk and returning to the office at a specific time. Depending on the extent to which the first SUBOXONE dose suppressed your symptoms, your doctor may decide to give you a second dose.

When you are ready to leave the office after your first induction visit:

• Your doctor will make arrangements for you to have SUBOXONE to take home. Typically, your doctor will give you a prescription for the amount of SUBOXONE that you will need until your next appointment, along with any special instructions related to your care
• Your doctor may also prescribe other medications to help control withdrawal symptoms

During induction, daily appointments are not uncommon. This allows your doctor to adjust for your withdrawal symptoms and cravings. Induction can last anywhere from 2 to 7 days. Urine drug screening at every visit is also fairly standard during induction. Patients whose SUBOXONE dose may be too low often use other drugs to try to suppress the withdrawal symptoms and cravings; doctors look for this when evaluating whether a patient is at the right dose.

Intake and induction may both occur at the first visit, depending on your clinical needs.

Stabilization
During stabilization, your SUBOXONE dose is "fine tuned" about once a week, as needed. The goal is to find a dose where your withdrawal symptoms and cravings are suppressed and you experience minimal to no side effects. You and your doctor will discuss your treatment options going forward, specifically, maintenance versus medically supervised withdrawal.

Maintenance
Once your dose is stabilized, the maintenance phase of treatment begins. During maintenance, your treatment compliance and progress will continue to be monitored.
Participation in some form of behavioral counseling is strongly recommended to maximize the likelihood of your treatment success. You and your doctor will discuss counseling options that meet your needs.
Your doctor may request urine samples from time to time. Some doctors find urine testing a helpful part of treatment because by verifying the absence of opioids in your system they can evaluate the effectiveness of your SUBOXONE dose. Talk with your doctor if you have questions about the role of urine testing in treatment.
During your ongoing maintenance treatment, your doctor will want to know if you experience any cravings. If you do, your dose may need to be adjusted.
Appointments are usually scheduled on a weekly basis, however, if treatment progress is good and goals are met, monthly visits may eventually be considered sufficient. The maintenance phase can last anywhere from weeks to years—depending on what you, your doctor, and, possibly, your therapist or counselor determine is best for your individual needs.