The Importance of Treatment Modality in Veterans with Opioid Use Disorder: Implications for Virtual Care

This study examined treatment utilization across in-person and virtual treatment modalities in veterans who were on medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD; N = 139). Treatment records for veterans in addiction treatment on MOUD were examined for 3-months prior to telehealth conversions (“Pre-Telehealth,” 12/02/2019-03/14/2020), 3-months during the initial telehealth transition (“Telehealth,” 03/15/2020-06/30/2020) and 3-months during post-telehealth transition (“Re-Entry,” 07/01/2020-10/01/2020). Analyses examined the relationship between treatment modality and demographic features, psychiatric comorbidities, treatment engagement, and illness severity as measured by psychiatric emergency room (PER) utilization. Results demonstrated that modality was not associated with PER utilization. Past-year PER visits, alcohol use disorder (AUD), and psychotic disorders were associated with PER utilization during Telehealth, while AUD was associated with Re-Entry PER utilization. Given the likelihood of virtual treatment in the future, frequent in-person visits may not be necessary for MOUD; however, individuals with comorbid AUD and psychotic disorders may need additional support to prevent emergency care.