Transformation of substance use disorder treatment services during COVID-19 - A lasting change?

ABSTRACT

Introduction

This research aimed to describe trends in the use of telemedicine and take-home medication, as well as restrictions in service provision among Medication-Assisted Treatment and inpatient services. We surveyed trendsduring the first 18 months of the COVID-19 pandemic (March 2020-August 2021) in Israel.

Methods

We sent a mail-based survey to 13 Medication-Assisted Treatment and 11 inpatient centers under state supervision. We also collected data on COVID-19 cases and quarantines from routine reports.

Results

While quarantines in Medication-Assisted Treatment centers increased in each successive COVID-19 wave, those in inpatient centers declined by 63% from December to April 2021. Restriction of services, use of telemedicine, and take-home schemes decreased between 2020 and 2021. Inpatient services were significantly disrupted during 2020, and ten centers (91%) reported limiting patient admissions.

Conclusions

Although most centers in 2020 adopted telemedicine and take-home schemes, less than half of centers continued employing them in 2021, suggesting provider, and patient preference for pre-pandemic models of care.

KEYWORDS:

• Substance-use disorder
• telemedicine
• COVID-19
• medication-assisted treatment
• take-home dose
• services

Acknowledgments

We wish to thank Adv. Eyal Hacco for proofreading of this manuscript.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.