A recent blog post by IBM Watson Health discussses why SUD and OUD diagnosis, treatments, and other services to children and adloscents via telehealth is critical to determine how to alleviate access issues for young people.
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared on IBM Watson's website.
The ability of the current behavioral health treatment system to provide needed services to individuals with opioid use and other substance use disorders is limited, with the opioid crisis stretching resources beyond their ability to meet current needs. Increasingly there is concern about the ability of the system to provide adequate services to children and adolescents, who are not immune to the opioid epidemic.
Telehealth can be a useful alternative to in-person services in rural, remote, or health care provider shortage areas, as well as for patients who may experience other impediments to accessing a provider in person. Our analysis of the IBM® MarketScan® Research Databases indicates that, among people with Opioid Use Disorder (OUD), less than 3 percent in Medicaid and less than 1 percent in commercial health insurance plans received any telehealth treatment. Click here to continue>>
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