Telehealth and SUD

Telehealth includes the use of videoconferencing and other telecommunications technologies to support virtual patient health care. Telehealth keeps both parties as safe as possible without chance of any infection. In an article by Dr. Jean Talbot, she discussed that there is a significantly higher amount of telehealth usage in rural areas similar to the NRV.  However, not everyone has access to technology and the internet to be able to attend telehealth conferences with their provider. She also cited that those with proper access preferred telehealth over conventional practice because there was no need for transportation. One of the biggest barriers, cited by Haiden Huskamp, in an article about telehealth and recovery, is the lack of telehealth resources specifically for people in recovery. In addition, an article by Allison Lin also showcases the lack of effectiveness for people in recovery who utilize telehealth resources. She cites that people feel disconnected and stigmatized by the lack of resources. 

Seven out of eight Interviewees reported that COVID has in part affected their ability to work with persons in recovery, and when asked how they have been affected, 50% of responses mentioned telehealth and/or lack of in person meetings as the most pressing issue. Online meetings are providing persons in recovery with an option for continued support during their recovery, as well as an opportunity to expand their recovery group, with one interviewee mentioning that she was able to “attend zoom meetings...across the country and get some variety in [her] recovery.” 

However, many responses reflected on the difficulty presented by facing recovery virtually, with one interviewee stating “I’ve seen a lot of my clients relapse...when you’re face to face, you get the body language...doing things remotely it’s just not the same.” Another barrier which was raised in regards to telehealth is internet access. One response mentioned that there are a lot of “hoops to have to jump through… maybe they don’t have a phone, maybe they don’t have a decent internet connection.” Even if there were no issues with internet accessibility, the response that was most commonly brought up when asked about COVID’s effect on recovery was a lack of personal connection with other persons in recovery.