Study supports continuing telehealth services for opioid use disorder

Medicare patients who have access to telehealth services and medications for opioid use disorder have lower risk of fatal drug overdose, according to a study reported yesterday in JAMA Psychiatry.

“The results of this study add to the growing research documenting the benefits of expanding the use of telehealth services for people with opioid use disorder, as well as the need to improve retention and access to medication treatment for opioid use disorder,” said Christopher Jones, lead author and director of the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “The findings from this collaborative study also highlight the importance of working across agencies to identify successful strategies to address and get ahead of the constantly evolving overdose crisis.”