Understanding Telehealth for Opioid Use Disorder Treatment
CE24-012 - Evaluating Telehealth's Role in Buprenorphine Treatment Initiation and Retention, Overdose Mortality, and Access Equity: An Analysis for Policy Development
This project looks at how telehealth policies during the COVID-19 pandemic affected access to buprenorphine treatment for people with opioid use disorder and its impact on overdose rates.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Massachusetts General Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11169645 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
We are examining how changes in telehealth policies, which allowed many people to access buprenorphine treatment from home, influenced whether individuals started and continued their treatment. Our team will also explore if these policies had an effect on overdose deaths and if access to care was fair for everyone. By carefully analyzing a lot of health data, we hope to understand which combinations of telehealth policies were most helpful in managing opioid use disorder.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: This project focuses on understanding past treatment patterns and policy impacts for individuals who have received buprenorphine treatment for opioid use disorder.
Not a fit: Patients not currently seeking or receiving buprenorphine treatment for opioid use disorder may not directly benefit from this specific policy analysis.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help shape future policies to make buprenorphine treatment more accessible and effective through telehealth, potentially reducing opioid overdoses.
How similar studies have performed: While the specific combination of telehealth policies during the pandemic is novel, previous studies have shown that increased access to buprenorphine can reduce overdose risk.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Massachusetts General Hospital — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Stringfellow, Erin — Massachusetts General Hospital
- Study coordinator: Stringfellow, Erin
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.