Literature Collection

INTRODUCTION/BACKGROUND: Video directly observed therapy (video-DOT) through a mobile health platform may improve buprenorphine adherence and decrease diversion. This pilot study tested the acceptability and feasibility of using this technology among patients receiving buprenorphine in an office-based setting. METHODS: Participants were instructed to record videos of themselves taking buprenorphine. Data were collected from weekly in-person visits over a 4-week period; assessments included self-report of medication adherence, substance use, satisfaction with treatment and use of the application, and also urine drug testing. Open-ended questions at the final visit solicited feedback on patients' experiences using the mobile health application. RESULTS: The sample consisted of 14 patients; a majority were male (86%) and White (79%). All participants except 1 (93%) were able to use the application successfully to upload videos. Among those who successfully used the application, the percentage of daily videos uploaded per participant ranged from 18% to 96%; on average, daily videos were submitted by participants 72% of the time. Most participants (10/14; 71%) reported being "very satisfied" with the application; of the remaining 4 participants, 2 were "satisfied" and 2 were "neutral." Participants reported liking the accountability and structure of the application provided and its ease of use. Negative feedback included minor discomfort at viewing one's self during recording and the time required. CONCLUSIONS: Based on these results, use of a mobile health application for video-DOT of buprenorphine appears feasible and acceptable for patients who are treated in an office-based setting. Further research is needed to test whether use of such an application can improve treatment delivery and health outcomes.

INTRODUCTION: Access to medication assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid use disorder (OUD) in the United States is a significant challenge for many individuals attempting to recover and improve their lives. Access to treatment is especially challenging in rural areas characterized by lack of programs, few prescribers, and transportation barriers. This study aims to better understand the roles that transportation, Medicaid-funded non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT), and telehealth play in facilitating access to MAT in West Virginia (WV). METHODS: We developed this survey using an exploratory sequential mixed methods approach following a review of current peer-reviewed literature plus information gained from 3 semi-structured interviews and follow-up discussions with 5 individuals with lived experience in MAT. Survey results from 225 individuals provided rich context on the influence of transportation in enrolling and remaining in treatment, use of NEMT, and experiences using telehealth. Data were collected from February through August 2021. RESULTS: We found that transportation is a significant factor in entering into and remaining in treatment, with 170 (75.9%) respondents agreeing or strongly agreeing that having transportation was a factor in deciding to go into a MAT program, and 176 (71.1%) agreeing or strongly agreeing that having transportation helps them stay in treatment. NEMT was used by one-quarter (n = 52, 25.7%) of respondents. Only 13 (27.1%) noted that they were picked up on time and only 14 (29.2%) noted that it got them to their appointment on time. Two thirds of respondents (n = 134, 66.3%) had participated in MAT services via telehealth video or telephone visits. More preferred in-person visits to telehealth visits but a substantial number either preferred telehealth or reported no preference. However, 18 (13.6%) reported various challenges in using telehealth. CONCLUSIONS: This study confirms that transportation plays a significant role in many people's decisions to enter and remain in treatment for OUD in WV. Additionally, for those who rely on NEMT, services can be unreliable. Finally, findings demonstrate the need for individualized care and options for accessing treatment for OUD in both in-person and telehealth-based modalities. Programs and payers should examine all possible options to ensure access to care and recovery.

Background: At the start of the pandemic, relaxation of buprenorphine prescribing regulations created an opportunity to create new models of medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) delivery and care. To expand and improve access to MOUD, we adapted and implemented the Tele-Harm Reduction (THR) intervention; a multicomponent, telehealth-based and peer-driven intervention to promote HIV viral suppression among people who inject drugs (PWID) accessing a syringe services program (SSP). This study examined buprenorphine initiation and retention among PWID with opioid use disorder who received the adapted THR intervention at the IDEA Miami SSP.Methods: A retrospective chart review of participants who received the THR intervention for MOUD was performed to examine the impact of telehealth on buprenorphine retention. Our primary outcome was three-month retention, defined as three consecutive months of buprenorphine dispensed from the pharmacy.Results: A total of 109 participants received the adapted THR intervention. Three-month retention rate on buprenorphine was 58.7%. Seeing a provider via telehealth at baseline or any follow up visit (aOR = 7.53, 95% CI: [2.36, 23.98]) and participants who had received an escalating dose of buprenorphine after baseline visit (aOR = 8.09, 95% CI: [1.83, 35.87]) had a higher adjusted odds of retention at three months. Participants who self-reported or tested positive for a stimulant (methamphetamine, amphetamine, or cocaine) at baseline had a lower adjusted odds of retention on buprenorphine at three months (aOR = 0.29, 95% CI: [0.09, 0.93]).Conclusions: Harm reduction settings can adapt dynamically to the needs of PWID in provision of critical lifesaving buprenorphine in a truly destigmatising approach. Our pilot suggests that an SSP may be an acceptable and feasible venue for delivery of THR to increase uptake of buprenorphine by PWID and promote retention in care.KEY MESSAGESThe Tele-Harm Reduction intervention can be adapted for initiating and retaining people who inject drugs with opioid use disorder on buprenorphine within a syringe services program setting. Using telehealth was associated with increased three-month buprenorphine retention. Baseline stimulant use was negatively associated with three-month buprenorphine retention.

Utilization of telehealth modalities to provide cognitive and behavioral therapies is rapidly increasing. Limitations to access to care can prohibit individuals from getting the care they need, especially evidence-based treatments. In the U.S., Veterans are a population in great need of accessible and high-quality evidence-based psychotherapy for insomnia, as it often co-occurs with other common syndromes such as depression and PTSD. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) offers effective treatment for insomnia and can be delivered via telehealth and in a group format to greatly increase availability and accessibility. To date, however, few programs exist offering telehealth-to-home CBT-I, fewer still are offered in a primary care setting, and none to our knowledge are offered in group format. We examine the feasibility and efficacy of a fully telehealth-to-home (TTH) group CBT-I pilot program in primary care and compare primary outcomes to those seen in a face-to-face (F2F) format as well as meta-analytic studies of group CBT-I. Primary endpoints, as typically defined such as sleep efficiency (SE) and scores on the insomnia severity index (ISI) appear comparable to those seen in F2F groups in our clinic, and to outcomes seen in the literature. We discuss challenges and strategies for successful implementation of such a program in integrated primary care to increase access and availability of this evidence-based treatment.