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Telehealth Utilization for Opioid Use Disorder: A Nationwide Analysis Before and After the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Declaration.

Authors :
Lewis KN
Zhang D
Corrales G
Eswaran H
Hayes CJ
Gressler LE
Source :
Telemedicine journal and e-health : the official journal of the American Telemedicine Association [Telemed J E Health] 2024 Jun; Vol. 30 (7), pp. e1980-e1989. Date of Electronic Publication: 2024 Apr 15.
Publication Year :
2024

Abstract

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to the rapid and widespread adoption of telehealth services. Telehealth may aid in bridging gaps in access to care. The specific impact of telehealth on opioid use disorder (OUD) and its treatment remains uncertain. Methods: A retrospective review of commercial insurance claim records within the United States was conducted to investigate the association between the COVID-19 pandemic and changes in the rates of(a) OUD treatments with and without telehealth support and (b) prescriptions for medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) with and without telehealth support among individuals diagnosed with OUD. Results: In a study population of 1,340,506 individuals, OUD diagnosis rates were 5 per 1,000 in-person and 1 per 1,000 via telehealth. COVID-19 decreased in-person OUD diagnoses by 0.89 per 1,000, while telehealth diagnoses increased by 0.83 per 1,000. In-person MOUD treatment rates increased by 0.07 per 1,000 during COVID-19, while telehealth rates remained low. The onset of COVID-19 saw a 1.13 per 1,000 higher increase in telehealth-supported MOUD treatment compared to solely in-person treatment. Conclusions: A retrospective review of commercial insurance claim records within the United States was conducted to investigate the association between the COVID-19 pandemic and changes in the rates of (a) OUD treatments with and without telehealth support and (b) prescriptions for MOUD with and without telehealth support among individuals diagnosed with OUD.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
1556-3669
Volume :
30
Issue :
7
Database :
MEDLINE
Journal :
Telemedicine journal and e-health : the official journal of the American Telemedicine Association
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
38621153
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1089/tmj.2024.0122