Opioid overdose is the leading cause of accidental death in the United States. Opioids—such as fentanyl, heroin, morphine and oxycodone—contributed to an estimated 80,000 deaths last year across the country.
For people who develop an addiction to opioids, it is often difficult to seek help and stay in treatment. VA provides a wide range of addiction treatment options, including using telehealth to help Veterans access and remain in the care they need.
Using telehealth to treat opioid use disorder
Opioid use disorder (OUD) is the clinical term for an opioid addiction. OUD treatment can require regular visits to clinics to receive medications like buprenorphine, which can save Veteran lives. However, the frequent visits to a clinic can sometimes make it hard for Veterans to start and stay in treatment.
VA telehealth is making it easier for Veterans to access critical, potentially life-saving OUD treatment. Since before the pandemic, some VA facilities had already started offering telehealth treatment for OUD. During the pandemic, the number of VA providers prescribing buprenorphine in a video or phone telehealth visit increased substantially. Buprenorphine reduces cravings for opioids, helps to prevent overdose and supports Veterans in their recovery.
VA telehealth helps Veterans overcome barriers
VA’s remote treatment options can decrease the stress and burden that prevent some Veterans from seeking care for OUD. For one thing, Veterans can receive care via video or sometimes over the phone, which doesn’t require any special equipment or technical knowledge.
Also, telehealth resources can be accessed from anywhere. That means Veterans don’t have to worry about going to a VA facility to receive in-person care, and it makes it easier to fit treatment in with other important things like work and family. Additionally, remote care removes transportation issues. That can be a huge help to Veterans who live in rural areas or don’t have access to a car.
Providing flexible options for Veterans
Dr. Allison Lin is an addiction psychiatrist at Ann Arbor VA in Michigan. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Lin conducted a national study on how VA telehealth helped Veterans get and stay in treatment for OUD.
She said that Veterans want several care options so they can stay in treatment longer and more consistently. In-person, video and phone appointments are all helpful. When some restrictions on remote care were relaxed during the pandemic, it became clear that telehealth visits were very important to Veterans with OUD. This includes Veterans who are particularly underserved, such as Veterans with housing instability or those experiencing multiple mental health and medical issues.
“Telehealth really helped a very complex patient population stay on a lifesaving treatment,” Lin said.
Learn more about VA substance use disorder treatment options and VA Telehealth Services.
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Very good.
I have tried numerous times to get my adderall xr thru the v a. Been on it close to 20 years. It’s for my ADD. And ADHD. It makes me functional. Without it I am not able to cope and gives me the ability to be useful. V a will not give it to me I have to pay out of pocket for the dr and rx. I am rated 100%. V a should let me use community care or work with me on this issue
Veterans of all people should have access to real opioids for their chronic pain. Of all the people –veterans!!! They are in pain because they served!;! I am a civilian but am so offended by the VA experimenting on/torturing veterans with all these new anything but opioids methods. You should read the comments under the article bragging about whole health. These veterans are suffering and killing themselves due to losing their opioids in this craze. Please VA let the vets have opioids back they are safe when used responsibly and the rest of us can’t bear the thought of you mistreating the people who served our country. Be good and fix this right away. .
I surely appreciate your comments and concern. I am a retiree of 30 plus years and currently on pain management. I am currently able to get them, but definitely not from the VA. Using them does not completely take the pain away, but does allow me to function some better. I can’t deer hunt or fish from a boat and some other things I use to enjoy. I can’t believe that those that have served and especially those that have lost limbs cannot get some help with their pain. I am not addicted to them, but my quality of life would be even worse if i couldn’t get my prescription every month. Blessings!
Thank you, I haven’t been able to get my medication without a whole lot of luck and hardship, for about a year or two now on top of having to drive very long distances just to deal with the rude employees who act like I’m not even there, and they always say they can’t hear me and hang up, Acting like the signal was lost. Before Covid that va had the nicest people you could hope for. But I moved even further away again, looking for a VA in my area.