Telehealth for Addiction Treatment Rose Early in the COVID-19 Pandemic

At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, there was an unprecedented and widespread shift to virtual care modalities. Although many studies have indicated success associated with telehealth use, researchers aimed to discern its relationship with treatment for addiction. While analyzing data, researchers used generalized estimating equation models to compare addiction treatment use before and after the pandemic's onset. The Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set of treatment initiation and engagement, retention over 12 weeks, and opioid use disorder (OUD) pharmacotherapy retention were the utilization measures used.It was comforting to know that there was increased utilization even with the pandemic shift to telehealth for some addiction care,” said co-author Asma Asyyed, MD, KPNC chair of addiction medicine and recovery services, in a press release. “We know in addiction medicine that when patients initiate and engage with care they have better outcomes and are less likely to relapse.