Telehealth Supported Opioid Use Disorder Treatment at Safety-Net Clinic

mHealth Intelligence: Telehealth Supported Opioid Use Disorder Treatment at Safety-Net Clinic

According to a recent study published in the Journal of Rural Mental Health, as health care became increasingly virtual during the COVID-19 pandemic, telehealth helped safety-net facilities provide opioid use disorder (OUD) patients, particularly those involved in buprenorphine treatment programs, high levels of care. The study took place at a south-central Pennsylvania-based federally qualified health center (FQHC), which provides a Medications for OUD (MOUD) with buprenorphine program at various clinics. Treatment retention rates for the groups in all four time periods fell within the 90 percent range, implying that each program was effective, whether it was conducted through telehealth or in-person. Researchers concluded that telehealth was efficacious in retaining patients in MOUD with buprenorphine treatment programs during the COVID-19 pandemic.