Telemedicine bridge clinics may be helpful for opioid use disorder treatment

Physician’s Weekly: Telemedicine bridge clinics may be helpful for opioid use disorder treatment

According to a study published in the Journal of Addiction Medicine, telemedicine bridge clinics had high show rates and allowed patients to fill prescriptions for opioid use disorder (OUD). The results show that 77 percent of the bridge clinic patients filled two or more buprenorphine prescriptions after their initial visit, indicating high engagement. Most of the patients (62 percent) had insurance through Medicaid, though 19 percent were uninsured. Outcomes were similar between those who used phone-only versus audiovisual visits. The results suggest that telemedicine bridge clinics may be useful long-term for patients suffering from OUD.