Substance Use Disorder Treatment Through Telemedicine in the Age of CoVID-19

Telemedicine has been effective at bridging the gap between patients, providers, and health systems. As part of a large, academic medical center in Baltimore, MD, it has been found that using digital tools, particularly when access to care is otherwise limited, is beneficial to supporting recovery. However, there are barriers to telemedicine surrounding patient privacy and increased tendency of patients to avoid treatment. Maintaining personalized, evidence-based clinical care while limiting the spread of CoVID-19 has required swift adaptation from healthcare providers. The intent of this article is to discuss provider perspectives of benefits and barriers to telemedicine for substance use disorder treatment during the CoVID-19 pandemic.