Telemedicine for addiction treatment offers innovative and user-friendly approaches for the treatment of substance use disorders—such as computerized screening, telephone-based recovery supports, telehealth therapy, virtual appointment reminders, and mobile apps—while still safely treating patients who need medication-assisted treatment.
Full Answer
Can telemedicine help with opioid addiction treatment?
Telemedicine can allow patients with opioid use disorder to stay in treatment and receive counseling to further their recovery. Through enhanced convenience, reduced travel time and cost savings, telemedicine offers additional benefits for patients, physicians and the greater health care system. 4
Are telemedicine-delivered treatments a promising alternative to in-person care?
Despite some of the current limitations of the studies, the researchers conclude that telemedicine-delivered treatments are a promising alternative, especially when evidence-based treatments are not readily available.
Can you treat substance use disorders via telehealth?
Treating substance use disorders via telehealth requires expertise and training in addiction care. Here are some special considerations to keep in mind for telehealth substance use treatment: Use a SBIRT approach to early intervention.
Does telemedicine reduce alcohol consumption?
Results from a systematic review of 22 articles conducted in three regions (the United States, the European Union and Australia) indicate that telemedicine reduced alcohol consumption. Other common outcomes included reduced depression, increased patient satisfaction, increase in accessibility, increased quality of life and decreased cost.
What is a treatment plan in recovery?
One of the first steps towards recovery is drafting a treatment plan, a document that maps out your problems, goals, and objectives. One of the first steps towards recovery from substance abuse is drafting a treatment plan with your provider.
Is telehealth effective in treating addiction?
We identified eight published studies that compared addiction treatment delivered via telehealth with in-person treatment and found that telehealth treatment was as effective as in-person treatment for retention, satisfaction with treatment, therapeutic alliance, and substance use. California addiction treatment ...
What is telehealth treatment?
Telehealth — sometimes called telemedicine — lets your doctor provide care for you without an in-person office visit. Telehealth is done primarily online with internet access on your computer, tablet, or smartphone. There are several options for telehealth care: Talk to your doctor live over the phone or video chat.
How effective is Telemental health?
Results: Telemental health is effective for diagnosis and assessment across many populations (adult, child, geriatric, and ethnic) and for disorders in many settings (emergency, home health) and appears to be comparable to in-person care.
Is Naltrexone a pill?
Naltrexone can be prescribed and administered by any practitioner licensed to prescribe medications, and is available in a pill form for Alcohol Use disorder or as an extended-release intramuscular injectable for Alcohol and Opioid Use disorder.
What is an example of telemedicine?
Telemedicine refers to the use of information technologies and electronic communications to provide remote clinical services to patients. The digital transmission of medical imaging, remote medical diagnosis and evaluations, and video consultations with specialists are all examples of telemedicine.
What are the three components of telemedicine?
There are three main categories of telemedicine; teleconsultation, telementoring, and telemonitoring. This is one of the most widely known categories of telemedicine. It basically refers to the online visit where a consultation between the doctor and patient take place.
What are examples of telehealth devices?
Telehealth is the use of communications technologies to provide health care from a distance. These technologies may include computers, cameras, videoconferencing, the Internet, and satellite and wireless communications.
What are some of the benefits and challenges of Telemental health?
Telehealth had been redefining healthcare for years before COVID-19 sped up the adoption of this convenient, efficient, and effective delivery model....Benefits for providersImproved access to care. ... Higher patient engagement rates. ... Better patient outcomes. ... Lower hospital readmission and no-show rates. ... Cost-cutting.
How do you provide Telemental health?
Some strategies that can minimize the risk of HIPAA issues include:Choose only a secure platform to send emails, treatment notes, and other messages.If you use telemental health software, read the terms and conditions and choose only encrypted, secure programs.Educate clients about privacy issues they control.
Is therapy over the phone effective?
Except for those with very severe mental illness such as schizophrenia and clinical depression, the study found that therapy delivered by phone was just as effective for people with relatively mild depression and anxiety as the in person variety. Plus, phone therapy was more than 35% cheaper.
What is telehealth intervention?
Telebehavioral health interventions can be part of an integrated approach to treating substance use disorders, when used in combination with other treatment methods. Interventions can include screening and diagnosis, online counseling, consults for prescriptions, and individual and group talk therapy. Treating substance use disorders via telehealth ...
What is medication assisted treatment?
Medication-assisted treatment is an evidence-based approach that combines behavioral counseling or talk therapy with the use of prescription drugs to curb opioid or alcohol cravings.
What is a SBIRT telehealth?
SBIRT stands for “screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment,” and is a common way to understand patient needs and to triage patients with alcohol use disorder.
How to help a substance use disorder patient?
Support staff such as case managers can be vital in providing more hands-on help such as calling in prescriptions and connecting patients to treatment centers and social services.
What is telehealth therapy?
Telehealth therapy is remote counseling given to people online. When it comes to addiction treatment, telehealth therapy is online substance abuse counseling. Telehealth therapy gives addiction treatment patients the opportunity to have deep conversations about themselves and their journey with addiction while in the privacy of their own homes.
What is telehealth in addiction?
Telehealth is the remote delivery and facilitation of health-related services and care through technology. As it pertains to addiction treatment, telehealth consists of remote programs that people in recovery can access from their technological devices. This means that addicts can attend rehab for substances like alcohol and opioids from ...
What is ambulatory detox?
In this form of ambulatory detox, you will receive detox treatment all day at a day hospital that offers detox services. This form of ambulatory detox is very much similar to the normal inpatient rehab form of detox. The only difference is that at the end of the day you get to go home.
What is the benefit of online substance abuse treatment?
Another benefit of online substance abuse counseling and treatment is telemedicine. Telemedicine is the ability to have medications delivered to your home through telehealth services. This is a great benefit for people in addiction treatment that still need medications to help them manage their withdrawal symptoms and mental illnesses.
Why do people need telehealth?
This is because it allows them to receive addiction treatment and therapy without having to leave their homes. Having telehealth therapy also allows people with terminal illnesses that are not very mobile the opportunity to receive the treatment and therapy that they may need.
How long is a telehealth program?
Intensive outpatient program (IOP) telehealth therapy is online substance abuse counseling that occurs for around 3 hours a day, 3-5 days a week. People that are further along in their online recovery than those in PHP telehealth therapy but still need intensive care should enter IOP telehealth therapy.
What are the benefits of telehealth?
Greater Access. One of the best benefits of telehealth for addiction treatment is its wide access to people. As a result, people that live in the middle of nowhere finally have access to the country’s greatest rehab centers. The same is true for people that live in impoverished areas with no rehab centers nearby.
What is telehealth session?
Telehealth sessions are designed to meet clients wherever they may be, from the comfort of their couch to the front seat of their car.
Is telehealth a good way to connect with local treatment programs?
Even though telehealth was initially designed for long-distance medical services, it is also a great way to connect with local treatment programs. Treatment programs can then be transitioned into in-person appointments if needed.
Can you attend addiction treatment at a physical facility?
At times, individuals may not be able to attend addiction treatment at a physical facility. Telehealth outpatient treatment is a good alternative when this happens. The core of the telehealth is talk therapy, which boils down to an honest conversation between you and a therapist.
Is telehealth good for addiction?
Although there are clear benefits to telehealth addiction treatment, it also has its limits. Diagnostically speaking, telehealth can be more problematic for counselors who depend on body language and other cues that are easier to interpret in person.
How does telemedicine help with opioid addiction?
Telemedicine can allow patients with opioid use disorder to stay in treatment and receive counseling to further their recovery. Through enhanced convenience, reduced travel time and cost savings, telemedicine offers additional benefits for patients, physicians and the greater health care system. 4. Three pilot projects have demonstrated ...
What are the benefits of telemedicine?
The technologies that generated the greatest interest were videoconferencing and smartphone mobile apps. The primary benefits identified for videoconferencing were greater access to services for rural patients and greater access to physicians who could prescribe Suboxone® for opioid dependence. Smartphone mobile apps greatest benefit identified was the ability to reach individuals in treatment recovery outside the treatment setting. 10
What does Betty Ford see in telehealth?
Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation sees telehealth as a means to advance our mission by increasing access to more people who need help. It also increases longer engagement along our continuum of care to improve successful outcomes.
What is telehealth in healthcare?
Telehealth involves the use of technologies such as telephone-based services, videoconferencing, texting, smartphone applications and web-based tools to provide care over a distance without requiring patients to travel to a clinic or provider's office.
How many pilot projects have demonstrated the clinical potential for prescribing buprenorphine via telemedicine?
Three pilot projects have demonstrated the clinical potential for prescribing buprenorphine via telemedicine. 4
Does telemedicine improve treatment retention?
Several of the studies suggest that telemedicine could be associated with improved treatment retention when compared to participants having to travel for in-person treatment.
Does telemedicine help with substance use?
Interventions were categorized by substances, including alcohol and opioids. Several of the studies suggest that telemedicine could be associated with improved treatment retention when compared to participants having to travel for in-person treatment. Despite some of the current limitations of the studies, the researchers conclude that telemedicine-delivered treatments are a promising alternative, especially when evidence-based treatments are not readily available. For specific treatment and substance use categories, particularly when treatment retention is the key outcome, it is also possible that telemedicine could result in greater treatment retention due to increased accessibility for patients. 2
What is telemedicine treatment?
Telemedicine-delivered treatment interventions for substance use disorders: A systematic review. With increased negative impacts from opioid and other substance use disorders in the US, it is important for treatments to not only be effective, but also accessible to patients.
Is telemedicine an effective alternative to psychotherapy?
Most studies suggested telemedicine interventions were associated with high patient satisfaction and are an effective alternative, especially when access to treatment is otherwise limited.
