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Heroin Addiction and Related Clinical Problems: 2021, 23, N2 (pages: 5 - 11)

Outcomes for Patients Receiving Telemedicine-Delivered Medication-Based Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder: A Retrospective Chart Review

Weintraub E., Greenblatt A.D., Chang J., Welsh C.J., Berthiaume A.P., Goodwin S.R., Arnold R., Himelhoch S.S., Bennett M.E., and Belcher A.M.

Summary: This report builds on a previous study that describes the collaboration between an urban academic medical center and a rural drug treatment center, the goal of which is to provide medication-based treatment to individuals with OUD via videoconferencing. We describe results of a retrospective chart review of 472 patients treated in the program between August 2015 and April 2019. We examined several demographic and substance use variables for individuals who consented to telemedicine treatment, retention in treatment over time, and opioid use over time to understand further the impact of prescribing buprenorphine and naltrexone via telemedicine to patients in a rural OUD treatment setting. Our findings support the effectiveness of prescribing medications via telemedicine. The inclusion of more than three times as many patients as in our prior report revealed retention rates and toxicology results that are comparable to face-to-face treatment. These findings have implications for policymakers and clinicians considering implementation of similar programs.