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Tag: telehealth
09/14/2023

‘They Won’t Rip Telehealth Away’: Digital Behavioral Health Companies Prepare for Industry-Shaping DEA Decision

Article Excerpt: November is fast approaching, and with it comes the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) proposed rule on telehealth and controlled substance prescribing. After a six-month delay, the federal law enforcement and regulatory body will release regulations that will shape the future of telehealth within behavioral health in the post-COVID era. It also has the potential to redirect the evolution of telehealth in the behavioral health industry. Companies that exclusively or heavily focus on providing care via telehealth have had to prepare for the potential snapback to a regulatory environment where in-person exams were required before a telehealth provider could prescribe certain controlled substances.

Full Article: https://tinyurl.com/abd4vzmn

Article Source: Behavioral Health Business

08/09/2023

Black Women are Open to Mental Health Services Via Mobile Technology

Article Excerpt: Using survey data on patient attitudes toward mental health services and depression screening, a new study indicated that Black American Women are comfortable with using voice or video calls to communicate with mental health providers. Research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicates that about one in ten women in the United States have experienced depression symptoms within the last year. The study, published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (JMIR), also indicated that Black American women are commonly affected by depression. While discrimination, financial issues, and chronic conditions may contribute to this, various factors prevent Black women from obtaining care. These may include stigmatization, limited access, or insurance complications.

Full Article: https://tinyurl.com/ywhh2svm

Article Source: mHealth Intelligence

07/11/2023

Telehealth Proves Successful for Opioid Use Disorder Treatment

Article Excerpt: Virtual care provider Ophelia found 56% of its OUD patients remained in treatment for six months and 48% stayed for one year, with retention rates significantly higher than traditional in-person care…”These study findings help take another step forward in proving what we already know: telehealth-based medication-assisted treatment for opioid use disorder is highly effective in reducing overdoses and preventing relapse,” (Chief medical officer at Ophelia) said.

Full Article: https://tinyurl.com/3z5umm7w

Article Source: Healthcare IT News

07/05/2023

Despite Room for Improvement, Telehealth Assists Incarcerated Patients

Article Excerpt: A report from the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) described the various state-level efforts to expand access to telehealth that benefited justice-involved and incarcerated patients with substance use disorders (SUDs) throughout the pandemic, along with the lessons to guide future use. During the COVID-19 pandemic, people with SUDs experienced many adverse outcomes, including healthcare access barriers along with buying drugs off the street and using them alone… To address these issues, federal and state governments took action to remove telehealth access barriers and support those with SUDs.

Full Article: https://tinyurl.com/3pun4xcj

Article Source: mHealth Intelligence

06/14/2023

Expanding Telemedicine For Opioid Use Disorder

Article Excerpt: Under the medical supervision of University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) Professor Eric Weintraub, MD, the mobile treatment team sees about 150 clients a month in Caroline County. With the addition of a second mobile unit, services will be extended to patients in neighboring Talbot County, and in the Chestertown area of Kent County… Weintraub, who is an associate professor of psychiatry at UMSOM, has helped develop innovative programs in providing medication assisted treatment to underserved rural areas via telemedicine across Maryland.

Full Article: https://tinyurl.com/26v9fu6e

Article Source: University of Maryland News

05/24/2023

Telehealth for Addiction Treatment Rose Early in the COVID-19 Pandemic

Article Excerpt: Published in JAMA Network Open, new study findings indicate that insured adults, particularly those who were younger, had higher participation rates in overall and telehealth-enabled addiction treatment following the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, there was an unprecedented and widespread shift to virtual care modalities. Although many studies have indicated success associated with telehealth use, researchers aimed to discern its relationship with treatment for addiction. They also sought to determine whether there were differences in addiction treatment utilization after telehealth policy changes by demographics such as age, race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status.

Full Article: https://tinyurl.com/y5jb33ud

Article Source: mHealth Intelligence

04/17/2023

Technology Can Reduce Providers’ Mental Healthcare Challenges

Article Excerpt: During HIMSS Global Conference’s Behavioral Health Forum, John MacKenzie, clinical program manager and behavioral health specialist at CommonSpirit Telehealth Network, discussed how to support caregivers and help patients suffering from behavioral health issues using virtual care… MacKenzie said organizations should aim to provide technological tools based on data and outcomes – such as telepsychiatry and remote behavioral health support, to improve behavioral health treatment options.

Full Article: https://tinyurl.com/5n97tem2

Article Source: MobiHealth News

03/23/2023

With Gains and Gaps, Mental Health Care Moves Forward

Article Excerpt: According to the state Department of Health and Human Services, one in four New Hampshire residents is experiencing some form of mental health distress. “This is a regional and national crisis for all children and adults,” said Dr. William Torrey, chief of psychiatry at Dartmouth Health, who has spent 38 years in the field. Demand for inpatient and outpatient care currently “exceeds our capacity at all levels,” Torrey said. More people are seeking care, more are acknowledging mental illness and addiction struggles in themselves and loved ones, and more are advocating for mental health care — which is good. “They see the extreme need for services.”

Full Article: https://tinyurl.com/msxv2adj

Article Source: Union Leader

03/20/2023

Leveraging Technology to Increase Behavioral Health Services Access for Youth in the Juvenile Justice and Child Welfare Systems: a Cross‑systems Collaboration Model

Tolou-Shams M, Holloway ED, Ordorica C, Yonek J, Folk JB, Dauria EF, Lehn K, Ezimora I, Wiley HMF. Leveraging Technology to Increase Behavioral Health Services Access for Youth in the Juvenile Justice and Child Welfare Systems: a Cross-systems Collaboration Model. J Behav Health Serv Res. 2022 Oct;49(4):422-435. doi: 10.1007/s11414-022-09808-1.

Researchers developed and reported initial outcomes of the Youth Justice and Family Well-Being Technology Collaborative (JTC) that aimed to leverage technology in public health and justice-related systems to increase access to behavioral health services. JTC was formed using a community-participatory research approach led by academic and judicial co-chairs and stakeholders from systems serving youth (i.e., behavioral health, legal, child welfare, school). The JTC was modeled after the Cascade framework to study gaps in implementation and uptake of healthcare services. The Telehealth Capacity Assessment Tool was used to identify capacity building needs and ways to use telehealth technology successfully. The JTC consisted of 20 stakeholders from the court, academic research, and justice-impacted youth. Eighteen meetings were held over 21 months. A mixed-methods approach was used to identify themes from the JTC meeting notes and telehealth capacity assessment data at 6, 12, and 18 months. Technology-related capacity was built over the first 12 months, but by 18 months, progress was stalled or marginally declined. Identified challenges included delivery of telehealth appropriately, overburdened IT departments, and inequities among youth and families to access and engage in technology interventions. However, the JTC is unique in collaborating with systems who do not ordinarily discuss workforce challenges or use technology to address challenges. Innovative models such as the JTC may be successful in bringing public health and justice systems together to identify gaps and develop strategies to increase behavioral health access.