5 Big Benefits of Telehealth for OUD Treatment Retention

OUD (Opioid Use Disorder) – A critical health condition that can risk a patient’s life. It’s a medical condition where a patient has a problem controlling their use of opioid drugs.

Opioids are powerful painkillers like heroin, morphine, or prescription pain medications such as oxycodone or hydrocodone. A shocking study reveals that the US economic annual cost for OUD Treatment is estimated at $471 Billion, and $72.5 Million in Ohio alone. 

Telehealth comes into play as a game changer, providing cost-effective solutions, reducing barriers to providing quality healthcare, remote care for convenience, engaging patients to be actively involved in their OUD treatment retention, and more. This blog post will share with you the 5 benefits of telehealth for OUD treatment care.

What are OUD Health Conditions?

Opioid Use Disorder is a critical medical condition where patients have trouble controlling their use of opioid drugs like prescription painkillers, or illegal drugs like heroin. Here are some key points about OUD:

• It can be caused by changes in brain circuitry from opioid misuse that can lead to addiction.
• Symptoms include strong cravings, inability to control use, and physical withdrawal when stopping
• There is a high potential for relapse and overdose
• A chronic condition that requires long-term management but can be effectively treated

Related: Telehealth Tactics: Integrating Virtual Visit Functions into Patient Portals for Specialized Practices

Benefits of Telehealth for OUD Health Conditions

For people struggling with opioid use disorder (OUD), telehealth offers several important benefits for accessing treatment:

1. Increased Accessibility to Healthcare

One of the biggest benefits of telehealth for OUD treatment is that it increases accessibility to treatment. Patients can connect with providers through phone calls, video chat, and other communication types without the need for in-person visits. 

This makes it easier for those in remote and underserved areas, and those with limited transportation. Telehealth removes geographical and mobility barriers to getting needed treatment.

2. Privacy & Anonymity

The anonymity and privacy of telehealth sessions can help encourage people with OUDs to seek help who may otherwise avoid in-person treatment due to fear of judgment or stigma. Some OUD patients think of privacy, that no one must know that they are taking OUD treatment retention.

Speaking with a provider can virtually offer a sense of privacy and comfort by opening up about substance use from a chosen location. For some patients, not having to be physically seen seeking treatment gives them the push they need to get the help they require.

3. Flexibility and Convenience

Another benefit of telehealth for OUD treatment retention is the flexibility and convenience it offers for patients and providers as well. Appointment times can be more easily scheduled outside standard office hours to accommodate patient availability.

With telehealth, patients can more easily schedule appointments at times that fit their schedule. Weekend, evening and early morning appointments are more feasible when the visit is virtual. This flexibility enables patients to access care at times that work best for them, removing scheduling challenges as a barrier to retention.

4. Continuity of Care

Telehealth makes it easier for OUD patients to have more frequent follow-ups with the same healthcare provider team. This continuity of care with the same provider team avoids disruptions that often lead to poor outcomes. Stable access, regardless of circumstances, supports long-term recovery.

5. Quick access to support & remote monitoring

Telehealth enables patients to quickly access healthcare teams whenever needed.  This can improve outcomes as quick provider access allows for early intervention during high-risk situations when individuals may be prone to relapse. Patients don’t have to wait for an appointment to get needed support.

Telehealth also offers ongoing aid and monitoring between sessions via virtual communication and information sharing. providers can be reached outdoors for scheduled appointments via messaging, keeping remote patients feeling linked. 

Wearable devices and health apps enable patients to track progress, reveal withdrawal signs, and receive reminders for treatment and recovery goals. The continuity of care and responsibility enables increased dedication to OUD control.

Challenges Without Telehealth for OUD Treatment

Telehealth offers a vast range of benefits for both OUD patients and providers. Without telehealth, OUD patients face many difficulties in obtaining effective OUD treatment retention. Here are some key challenges without Telehealth for patients with opioid use disorder (OUD):

• Transportation barriers: Patients in rural areas with or without reliable transportation to a healthcare facility can have difficulty getting to in-person treatment and accessing medications like methadone from clinics. Telehealth improves access.
• Stigma: The stigma surrounding OUD and visiting treatment facilities can deter patients from seeking in-person care. Telehealth offers privacy which can reduce the stigma.
• Work/Life Balance: Frequent in-person appointments can disrupt jobs, childcare, and other day-to-day responsibilities. Telehealth offers more flexibility.
• Cost: Traveling to healthcare practices for appointments and taking time off work can be financially burdensome. Telehealth eliminates transportation costs and minimizes time away from work.
• Support access: Without regular in-person contact, providers may miss warning signs of relapse. Telehealth enables providers to closely monitor patients and intervene early whenever needed.

Related: EHR Telehealth Integration: How Vozo Helps In Tackling Your Hardest Challenges

Telehealth Solutions from Vozo

Key telehealth benefits like increased convenience, privacy, quick access, cost savings, and care continuity can each contribute to keeping patients engaged in OUD treatment for longer periods. This leads to better retention, which research shows is vital for achieving recovery milestones and maintaining positive outcomes over time.

Empowering Vozo EHR with Telehealth Integration lets you create a more streamlined workflow for your Mental Health Practices. 

With a vast range of features, such as scheduling appointments, audio/video/text consultation, analytics & reporting, better access to care, etc, healthcare providers and patients can:

• Reach out to patients remotely, ensuring more flexibility around appointment times.
• Save time for patients and make it easier to fit appointments into busy schedules.
• Telehealth allows anonymity and ensures patients feel more comfortable opening up from the privacy of their home space rather than in-person therapist visits.
• This eliminates the transportation cost of getting to appointments.
• It also reduces overhead costs like rent and admin staff for therapists who can conduct remote sessions, and many insurance companies also cover teletherapy.
• Telehealth makes it easy to maintain regular appointments, especially for patients who travel frequently or move locations.
• Therapists and patients can connect through the telehealth platform from anywhere.

By using the Vozo Telehealth solution, providers can reduce burdens and focus more on better patient outcomes remotely.

Try Vozo EHR and Telehealth solutions for better mental health patient care.