An examination of telehealth policy impacts on initial rural opioid use disorder treatment patterns during the Covid‐19 pandemic
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 19433011 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Phillip M Hughes (0000-0002-5472-1677, Department of Research UNC Health Sciences at MAHEC Asheville North Carolina USA), Genevieve Verrastro (Department of Family Medicine Mountain Area Health Education Center (MAHEC) Asheville North Carolina USA), Carriedelle Wilson Fusco (Department of Family Medicine Mountain Area Health Education Center (MAHEC) Asheville North Carolina USA), Courtenay Gilmore Wilson (0000-0002-4634-7013, Department of Research UNC Health Sciences at MAHEC Asheville North Carolina USA, corresponding author), B Ostrach (0000-0003-2803-3747, Department of Research UNC Health Sciences at MAHEC Asheville North Carolina USA) |
| Year | 2021 |
| Volume | 37 |
| Issue | 3 |
| Pages | 467-472 |
| Publication date | 2021-06-01 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | The Journal of Rural Health (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0890-765X • E-ISSN: 1748-0361 |
| Publisher | Wiley (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1111/jrh.12570 |
| PMID | 33720447 |
| OpenAlex | W3137871235 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 15 |
| References cited | 14 |
PURPOSE: Tracking changes in care utilization of medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) services before, during, and after COVID-19-associated changes in policy and service delivery in a mixed rural and micropolitan setting. METHODS: Using a retrospective, open-cohort design, we examined visit data of MOUD patients at a family medicine clinic across three identified periods: pre-COVID, COVID transition, and COVID. Outcome measures include the number and type of visits (in-person or telehealth), the number of new patients entering treatment, and the number of urine drug screens performed. Distance from patient residence to clinic was calculated to assess access to care in rural areas. Goodness-of-Fit Chi-Square tests and ANOVAs were used to identify differences between time periods. FINDINGS: Total MOUD visits increased during COVID (436 pre vs. 581 post, p < 0.001), while overall new patient visits remained constant (33 pre vs. 29 post, p = 0.755). The clinic's overall catchment area increased in size, with new patients coming primarily from rural areas. Length of time between urine drug screens increased (21.1 days pre vs. 43.5 days post, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The patterns of MOUD care utilization during this period demonstrate the effectiveness of telehealth in this area. Policy changes allowing for MOUD to be delivered via telehealth, waiving the need for in-person initiation of MOUD, and increased Medicaid compensation for MOUD may play a valuable role in improving access to MOUD during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond
Disease · Family medicine · Health care · Medicaid · Opioid · Opioid use disorder · Pandemic · Residence · Rural area · Telehealth · Telemedicine · Demography · HIV, Drug Use, Sexual Risk · Medicine · Opioid Use Disorder Treatment · Substance Abuse Treatment and Outcomes · Internal Medicine
Urine Drug Screening in a Telehealth Setting for the Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder
Impacts of the Covid-19 Pandemic on a Rural Opioid Support Services Program
The Impact of the Covid-19 Pandemic on Drug Use Behaviors, Fentanyl Exposure, and Harm Reduction Service Support among People Who Use Drugs in Rural Settings
Medication safety, privacy, and stigma
Use of Telehealth for Opioid Use Disorder Treatment in Safety Net Primary Care Settings
The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on medications for opioid use disorder services in the U.S. and Canada
Rural and urban clinician views on Covid-19’s impact on substance use treatment for individuals on community supervision in Kentucky
Rurality, healthcare and crises
Covid-19 preparedness and response in rural and remote areas
Changes in transmucosal buprenorphine utilization for opioid use disorder treatment during the Covid‐19 pandemic in Kentucky
A multilevel analysis of changing telehealth availability in opioid use disorder treatment settings
Care coordination between rural primary care and telemedicine to expand medication treatment for opioid use disorder
Position Statement
At the Intersection of Harm Reduction and Covid-19
Multidimensional assessment of access to medications for opioid use disorder across urban and rural communities
Geographic Variation in the Supply of Selected Behavioral Health Providers
Collision of the Covid-19 and Addiction Epidemics
Signal of increased opioid overdose during Covid-19 from emergency medical services data
What Can the National Broadband Map Tell Us About the Health Care Connectivity Gap
Covid‐19 and Rural Harm Reduction Challenges in the US Southern Mountains
Buprenorphine dispensing in an epicenter of the U.S. opioid epidemic
Continuing increased access to buprenorphine in the United States via telemedicine after Covid-19
No “back to normal” after Covid-19 for our failed drug policies
| Citations per year | 3 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 2021 - 2025 (5) |
| Highly cited | No |