Innovation During COVID-19: Improving Addiction Treatment Access

Area of Science:

• Addiction Medicine
• Public Health
• Telehealth Innovations

Background:

• COVID-19 pandemic reduced addiction treatment services, increasing mortality risk for substance use disorder patients.
• Regulatory changes allowed audio-only telehealth for buprenorphine induction, bypassing in-person or video requirements.
• This created an opportunity to innovate treatment delivery for vulnerable populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the establishment and function of the Rhode Island Buprenorphine Hotline.
• To address challenges in accessing opioid use disorder treatment during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• To present a novel tele-bridge model for buprenorphine induction and linkage to care.

Main Methods:

• Established a phone hotline serving as a tele-bridge clinic.
• Linked individuals with moderate to severe opioid use disorder to DATA 2000 waivered providers.
• Facilitated initial assessments and buprenorphine prescriptions for unobserved induction via audio-only telehealth.
• Connected patients to outpatient treatment services.

Main Results:

• Successfully developed and implemented a tele-bridge hotline model.
• Enabled access to buprenorphine treatment for opioid use disorder patients facing reduced in-person services.
• Demonstrated a feasible approach to overcoming treatment access barriers exacerbated by the pandemic.

Conclusions:

• The Rhode Island Buprenorphine Hotline provides a vital link to care for individuals with opioid use disorder.
• Audio-only telehealth, enabled by regulatory flexibility, is an effective strategy for buprenorphine induction.
• This model offers a scalable solution for improving treatment accessibility in public health emergencies.