Opioid use disorder patients' perceptions of healthcare delivery platforms

Telemedicine-delivered treatment for substance use disorder: A scoping review

INTRODUCTION

The COVID pandemic prompted a significant increase in the utilization of telemedicine (TM) for substance use disorder (SUD) treatment. As we transition towards a "new normal" policy, it is crucial to comprehensively understand the evidence of TM in SUD treatment. This scoping review aims to summarize existing evidence regarding TM's acceptability, quality, effectiveness, access/utilization, and cost in the context of SUD treatment in order to identify knowledge gaps and inform policy decisions regarding TM for SUDs.

METHOD

We searched studies published in 2012-2022 from PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, Web of Science, and other sources. Findings were synthesized using thematic analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 856 relevant articles were screened, with a final total of 42 articles included in the review. TM in SUD treatment was perceived to be generally beneficial and acceptable. TM was as effective as in-person SUD care in terms of substance use reduction and treatment retention; however, most studies lacked rigorous designs and follow-up durations were brief (≤3 months). Telephone-based TM platforms (vs video) were positively associated with older age, lower education, and no prior overdose. Providers generally consider TM to be affordable for patients, but no relevant studies were available from patient perspectives.

CONCLUSIONS

TM in SUD treatment is generally perceived to be beneficial and acceptable and as effective as in-person care, although more rigorously designed studies on effectiveness are still lacking. Access and utilization of TM may vary by platform. TM service quality and costs are the least studied and warrant further investigations.

Adaptations to Indiana's 21st Century Cures-funded recovery coaching initiative in the wake of COVID-19

This brief commentary discusses how provider organizations from Indiana's Recovery Coach and Peer Support Initiative (RCPSI) adapted their practices in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and associated restrictions. The RCPSI, which is funded through the 21st Century Cures Act, placed peer recovery coaches (PRCs) in emergency departments (EDs) to link opioid overdose patients to medication for opioid use disorder. This commentary discusses how COVID-19 restrictions increased use of telehealth to replace in-person PRC contacts with patients, affected the timing of initial PRC contacts with patients, and led to allowances for Medicaid billing of recovery coach support sessions conducted via telehealth. Future research should further determine the effects of these changes on PRC services in the ED.

Response to coronavirus 2019 in Veterans Health Administration facilities participating in an implementation initiative to enhance access to medication for opioid use disorder

The actions needed to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) have forged rapid paradigm shifts across healthcare delivery. In a time of crisis, continued access to and delivery of medication for opioid use disorder (M-OUD) is essential to save lives. However, prior to COVID-19, large variability in M-OUD adoption existed across the Veteran Health Administration (VHA) and it is unknown whether the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated this divide. For the past two years, our team worked with eight VHA facilities to enhance adoption of M-OUD through a multi-component implementation intervention. This commentary explores these providers' responses to COVID-19 and the subsequent impact on their progress toward increasing adoption of M-OUD. Briefly, the loosening of regulatory restrictions fostered accelerated adoption of M-OUD, rapid support for telehealth offered a mechanism to increase M-OUD access, and reevaluation of current practices surrounding M-OUD strengthened adoption. Overall, during the COVID-19 crisis, facilities and providers responded positively to the call for increased access to M-OUD and appropriate care of patients with OUD. The VHA providers' responses and continued progress in enhancing M-OUD amidst a crisis may, in part, be attributable to their participation in an implementation effort prior to COVID-19 that established resources, expert support, and a community of practice. We anticipate the themes presented are generalizable to other healthcare systems grappling to deliver care to patients with OUD during a crisis. We propose areas of future research and quality improvement to continue to provide access and high quality, life-saving care to patients with OUD.

Assessing the needs of front-line providers in addressing the opioid crisis in South Carolina

Opioid use disorder (OUD) has been declared a national crisis, as prevalence of OUD has increased remarkably over the past decade (Jones, 2017). While Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) is the standard of care for OUDs, several key barriers to implementation have been noted throughout the clinical and research literature (DeFlavio et al., 2015). As a first step toward enhancing implementation and dissemination of MAT across the state of South Carolina, a needs assessment was conducted with key persons from 33 agencies to inform our efforts. Results provided descriptive information regarding medical providers and patients seen within agencies. Of the 33 agencies, 6 agencies (18%) reported having buprenorphine-waivered providers on staff (total of 11 medical providers across the 6 agencies). Agencies reported that they referred a mean of 4.63 patients to other facilities for MAT in the past month. Barriers to providing MAT were identified, with the most significant barrier including the lack of medical staff to prescribe buprenorphine (47%). Overall, the current study reiterates the gap between treatment need and capacity for OUD patients, and highlights factors associated with barriers to MAT adoption in state-funded county drug and alcohol agencies across a southern, predominantly rural state.