Telehealth to improve access and care for people with alcohol use disorder
Telehealth in the Treatment of Alcohol Use Disorders: Impact on Access and Quality of Care
This project compares telehealth and in-person treatment to learn how telehealth affects access to and quality of care for adults with alcohol use disorder.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Harvard Medical School NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11402584 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would be part of research that combines large sets of U.S. insurance records (Medicare, Medicaid, and commercial claims from 2016–2025) with interviews of patients and providers to understand how telehealth is being used for alcohol use disorder (AUD). The team will map out initial patterns of telehealth versus in-person AUD care and examine which patient, provider, and community factors are linked to those patterns. They will then look at longer-term quality and outcome measures tied to those early care patterns. Interviews will add detailed perspectives on why people choose telehealth or in-person care and whether telehealth is narrowing or widening gaps in treatment.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults aged 21 and older with alcohol use disorder who have received or might receive AUD treatment (telehealth or in-person) are the types of patients whose records or interview responses inform this work.
Not a fit: People without any health insurance coverage, reliable internet or phone access, or those requiring immediate inpatient medical detox may not benefit directly from telehealth-focused findings.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help expand effective telehealth options so more people with AUD—especially those in rural or underserved areas—can get timely, high-quality treatment.
How similar studies have performed: Prior, smaller studies suggest telehealth can increase access and sometimes retention in substance use treatment, but large comparative analyses across insurance types and long-term outcomes are limited.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Harvard Medical School — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Huskamp, Haiden a. — Harvard Medical School
- Study coordinator: Huskamp, Haiden a.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.