Telemedicine Feasible for Buprenorphine Initiation in Opioid Use Disorder
Medically reviewed by Drugs.com.
By Lori Solomon HealthDay Reporter
MONDAY, Oct. 23, 2023 -- Patients may benefit from the use of telemedicine during buprenorphine initiation for opioid use disorder (OUD) when compared with traditional initiation, according to a study published online Oct. 18 in JAMA Network Open.
Lindsey R. Hammerslag, Ph.D., from the University of Kentucky in Lexington, and colleagues examined associations between transmucosal buprenorphine OUD treatment modality (telemedicine versus traditional) during the COVID-19 public health emergency and the health outcomes of treatment retention and opioid-related nonfatal overdose. The analysis included Medicaid claims and enrollment data from 41,266 individuals in Kentucky and 50,648 individuals in Ohio (Nov. 1, 2019, to Dec. 31, 2020).
The researchers found that telemedicine buprenorphine initiations increased sharply at the beginning of 2020. Telemedicine initiation was associated with better odds of 90-day retention with buprenorphine in both states (adjusted odds ratios [95 percent confidence intervals], 1.13 [1.01 to 1.27] and 1.19 [1.06 to 1.32] for Kentucky and Ohio, respectively) when adjusting for patient demographic and comorbidity characteristics. There was no association seen between telemedicine initiation and opioid-related nonfatal overdose (adjusted odds ratios [95 percent confidence intervals], 0.89 [0.56 to 1.40] and 1.08 [0.83 to 1.41] for Kentucky and Ohio, respectively).
"These findings add to the literature demonstrating positive outcomes associated with the use of telemedicine for treatment of OUD," the authors write.
Several authors disclosed ties to industry.
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
© 2024 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted October 2023
Read this next
Slight Decline Seen in U.S. Drug Overdose Deaths
THURSDAY, May 16, 2024 -- New 2023 provisional data from the National Center for Health Statistics show the first decline in deaths from drug overdose in the United States since...
American Psychiatric Association, May 4-8
The annual meeting of the American Psychiatric Association was held from May 4 to 8 in New York City, drawing participants from around the world, including clinicians...
Number, Size of Seizures of Fentanyl Increasing in the United States
MONDAY, May 13, 2024 -- The number and size of seizures of fentanyl are increasing in the United States, with most seizures occurring in the West, according to a study published...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.