Substance Abuse Care News and Resources for Healthcare

Veterans’ telehealth use for alcohol use disorder varies across groups

April 8, 2024 - Though telehealth supported alcohol use disorder (AUD) treatment delivery among veterans, telehealth use varied among demographic groups, suggesting the need for multiple telehealth options, new research reveals. The study published in the journal Alcohol, Clinical & Experimental Research examined characteristics associated with telehealth use...

Telehealth Bridge Clinic Engages Vulnerable Patients in OUD Treatment

February 09, 2024 by Anuja Vaidya

UPMC’s telehealth bridge clinic effectively served the high-risk opioid use disorder (OUD patient population, supporting patient engagement and access, according to new research conducted by the...

Telehealth Effective in Treating OUD Patients with Hepatitis C Virus

November 17, 2023 by Anuja Vaidya

Telehealth provides an effective strategy for treating opioid use disorder (OUD) patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV), according to a new study. Conducted by researchers at the University at Buffalo...

Providers Make Impassioned Plea for Virtual Prescribing Flexibilities

September 15, 2023 by Anuja Vaidya

At the United States Drug Enforcement Agency's (DEA) listening sessions on September 12 and 13, healthcare stakeholders argued for permanently extending pandemic-era telehealth prescribing flexibilities for controlled...

Understanding Telehealth-Enabled Opioid Use Disorder Treatment

August 22, 2023 by Anuja Vaidya

Over the last three decades, the United States has grappled with a growing public health crisis related to the misuse of opioids. Starting in the 1990s, the opioid crisis worsened over the years, eventually becoming an epidemic in 2017....

Despite Room for Improvement, Telehealth Assists Incarcerated Patients

July 05, 2023 by Mark Melchionna

A report from the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) described the various state-level efforts to expand access to telehealth that benefited justice-involved and incarcerated patients with substance...

Digital Therapeutics Provider Files for Bankruptcy, Cuts 92% of Workforce

April 11, 2023 by Anuja Vaidya

Digital therapeutics pioneer Pear Therapeutics has filed for bankruptcy, noting plans to sell the business or its assets. Founded in 2013, the company provides software-based prescription therapeutics...

UT Health San Antonio to Expand Access to Substance Use Disorder Support App

April 18, 2022 by Anuja Vaidya

The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio is expanding the availability of the WEconnect Recovery app to people in Texas suffering from substance use disorders. The app will be...

Cigna Members Gain Access to Virtual Alcohol Use Disorder Treatment

February 17, 2022 by Anuja Vaidya

Evernorth, the health services business of Cigna, is expanding member access to alcohol use disorder treatment services delivered through Monument's virtual platform. Per the new partnership,...

Using Telehealth to Treat SUD Has its Benefits, But Needs Improvements

January 10, 2022 by Anuja Vaidya

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, disrupting in-person care nationwide, those receiving treatment for substance use disorders (SUD) were suddenly cut off from life-saving services. Enter telehealth, which significantly expanded access to SUD...

Homelessness Drives Up No-Show Rates for Virtual Addiction Treatment

January 06, 2022 by Victoria Bailey

Using telehealth for substance use disorder treatment may only see success for people with stable housing, as no-show rates for virtual visits were higher for people experiencing homelessness, a study...

Permanent Pay, Originating Site Policies Boost Access to Virtual Addiction Services

December 20, 2021 by Victoria Bailey

Lawmakers have the power to solidify access to virtual opioid use disorder treatment by introducing policies that ensure reimbursement parity, solidify audio-only telehealth coverage, and expand the...

Tech Access, Digital Literacy Barriers to Virtual Care for Opioid Use Disorder

November 29, 2021 by Victoria Bailey

Using telehealth for opioid use disorder treatment may increase access to care for individuals but it may be limited to patients with high digital literacy and those who are deemed stable by their...

New Study Offers Mixed Results for Telehealth in Addiction Treatment

October 15, 2021 by Eric Wicklund

The American Psychiatric Association is tapping the brakes a little bit on the use of telehealth for addiction treatment, saying the potential is there but more proof is needed that virtual care...

Addiction Recovery Specialists Find Unexpected Advantages to Using Telehealth

September 23, 2021 by Eric Wicklund

Healthcare providers who focus on substance abuse and addiction recovery services are learning to use telehealth to improve access to care during a pandemic. Many are finding advantages to virtual care...

Study: Addiction Treatment mHealth Apps Aren’t Protecting Patient Data

July 08, 2021 by Eric Wicklund

An analysis of 10 popular mHealth apps for opioid addiction treatment and recovery finds very few safeguards in place for the protection of personal health information. Conducted by the ExpressVPN...

Uncertain Telehealth Laws Keep Substance Abuse Care Providers on Their Toes

June 28, 2021 by Eric Wicklund

Telehealth adoption has surged during the coronavirus pandemic, particularly in treatments for people dealing with substance abuse issues. And that trend will likely continue, as providers look for...

Warner Again Presses DEA to Let Providers Prescribe via Telehealth

May 05, 2021 by Eric Wicklund

Virginia Senator Mark Warner is once again urging the federal government to fulfill a long-delayed plan to allow healthcare providers to prescribe controlled substances via telehealth. In a letter...

Canadian mHealth App Takes Aim at Preventing Deadly Drug Overdoses

April 14, 2021 by Eric Wicklund

Healthcare providers in Canada are testing out a unique mHealth app designed to reduce overdose deaths among active drug users. NorWest Community Health Centres in northwestern Ontario will be the...

New Bills Target Telehealth Coverage for Substance Abuse, Mental Health Services

March 29, 2021 by Eric Wicklund

Lawmakers are once again taking aim at the substance abuse epidemic with a wide-ranging bill that expands access to telehealth – including audio-only phone services – for...

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