A qualitative exploration of the use of telehealth for opioid treatment: Implications for nurse-managed care.
Omeid Heidari, Abigail K Winiker, Sarah Pollock and 3 others
PMID 38500003WHAT IT FOUND
Telehealth for opioid medication visits helped patients keep appointments by removing travel, work and childcare barriers, but poor connections and audio-only visits raised safety concerns.
Patients and providers preferred a hybrid model, with nurses using calls for follow-up and medication coordination.
Key findings
01Telehealth for opioid medication visits was valued because it removed practical barriers to keeping appointments, including travel, work, childcare and cost.
02Participants reported poor coordination and communication around telehealth visits, and providers worried unreliable or audio-only visits made it hard to assess patient safety.
03Patients and providers preferred keeping telehealth for opioid medication visits alongside in-person visits, and nurses described using it for induction support, follow-up assessment and medication coordination.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
This is a qualitative interview study, so it reports experiences and themes, not evidence that tele-MOUD improves retention, safety or outcomes. The findings come from one Baltimore-area sample and may not apply to other settings, states or patient groups. The study included nurse practitioners in Maryland, where they have full practice authority, which is not true in all U.S. states. Interviews were one-time and did not capture long-term experiences with tele-MOUD. No member checking was done, so participants did not review or correct the interpretations. All patient participants had their own cell phones and were not given devices or data, so the study may miss barriers faced by people without reliable technology.
Declared interests
The authors declared no real or perceived vested interests. The article is tagged as receiving NIH extramural and non-U.S. government research support.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read this as evidence that tele-MOUD improves retention or safety. The study reports experiences and themes, not measured outcomes. The lower no-show rate was one provider's account, not a trial result.