Policies to Improve Substance Use Disorder Treatment With Telehealth During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Beyond

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has created an urgent need to expand access to substance use disorder (SUD) treatment through telehealth. A more permanent adoption of tele-SUD treatment options could positively alter the future of SUD treatment. We identify four steps that will help to ensure a broader transition to telehealth will be successful in improving the health outcomes of patients with SUDs. These steps are: (1) investing in telehealth infrastructure to enable health care providers and patients to use telehealth; (2) training and equipping providers to provide SUD treatment through telehealth; (3) providing patients with the financial and social support, hardware, and training necessary to use telehealth; (4) making temporary changes to telehealth law and regulation permanent. We believe these 4 steps will be critical to initiating SUD treatment for many persons that have yet to receive it, and for preserving SUD treatment continuity for millions of other patients both during and after the pandemic.

The COVID-19 Pandemic as an Impulse for the Development of Telemedicine in Primary Care in Poland

“…The benefits resulting from implementing projects and telemedicine solutions are visible in the highly developed and developing countries. Research supports the idea that telemedicine is at least as good as conventional services, in terms of effectiveness, cost, and patient outcomes [ 25 , 49 , 50 , 51 , 52 , 53 , 54 , 55 , 56 , 57 , 58 , 59 , 60 ]. The use of telemedicine tools as an alternative to traditional healthcare services has positively influenced the participants in the healthcare sector.…”

Perspectives of opioid use disorder treatment providers during COVID-19: Adapting to flexibilities and sustaining reforms

“…Some respondents reported the need to overcome technical challenges to the use of telehealth in some cases. These finding suggest that policy changes permitting telehealth for MOUD should also be accompanied by investments in training, infrastructure, and equipment to facilitate the use of telehealth ( Drake et al, 2020 ). This is particularly important for high-need patients who often have the fewest resources, such as access to computers, cell phones, and high-speed internet required for video communications.…”

Clinical and Demographic Differences in the Willingness to use Self-Administered At-Home COVID-19 Testing Measures among Persons with Opioid use Disorder

“…To reduce the negative consequences of COVID-19 among PWID, at-home testing measures serve as a user-friendly preventative measure to protect this at-risk group and enhance community health. Other studies have investigated telehealth in the context of OUD treatment in the COVID-19 era, noting the opportunity for at-home drug testing 24 , 25 . However, this study is novel in researching willingness to use at-home tests for COVID-19 among persons with OUD.…”