The effectiveness of telemedicine-delivered opioid agonist therapy in a supervised clinical setting

This article presents the results of a non-randomized cohort study comparing opioid agonist therapy (medication assisted treatment [MAT]) for opioid use disorder received via telemedicine, in-person, or a mix of telemedicine and in-person visits. The study was conducted between January 2011 and June 2012 in Ontario, Canada. The telemedicine group had the highest one-year treatment retention rate, followed by the mixed group, and the in-person group had the lowest one-year treatment retention rate. The results suggest telemedicine could be an effective means of increasing access to MAT for opioid use disorder. It should be noted that the study was conducted prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, and replicability will vary based on local resources and MAT regulations.

Resource Details

• Population: People With Substance Use Disorders
• Topics of Practice: Organizational Change/ Development|Policy Change/ Development
• Level of Evidence: Emerging
• Tools or Materials Included in Resource: No
• Social Determinants of Health: Healthcare Access and Quality|Social and Community Context
• Outside of US: Yes