January 13, 2025

Nearly 45% of consumers with substance use disorders (SUDs) who participated in an intensive outpatient program (IOP) conducted exclusively via a telehealth mobile application demonstrated a successful response to care and no longer required IOP treatment. The telehealth IOP was tested with 4,724 consumers who enrolled between 2021 and 2023. The program lasted for up to five months. About 8.5% (402) of the original 4,724 participants completed the IOP and were discharged completely. Another 35.8% (1,692) of the original group successfully stepped down from the IOP to outpatient treatment.

The telehealth IOP provided both group and individual therapy, with three weekly three-hour groups, one 50-minute individual session per week, and digitally delivered asynchronous coursework that taught participants evidenced-based treatment concepts and skills. After completion of the IOP program, participants had the option to step down and continue outpatient care. Participants who did not complete the IOP program were provided with referrals to appropriate resources. The anticipated time to complete the telehealth IOP, including asynchronous assignments was four-to-five months (120 to 150 days) or less, based on the participant’s response to care.

After treatment for 30 days, nearly 80% remained engaged. After 60 days, 63.0% remained engaged. At 90 days, 50% remained engaged, and at 120 days, 40% remained engaged. The mean length of treatment was 131 days.

During treatment, about 91% attained at least 30 consecutive days of abstinence over the course of treatment. Of those who remained engaged in care for at least 120 days reported at least 120 consecutive days of abstinence while in IOP telehealth treatment.

For those who completed the IOP and were discharged, the mean length of stay was 136.5 days, and a mean of 62.7% of phase work was completed. For participants who stepped down to outpatient care, the mean length of stay and percentage of phase work completed were 234.6 days and 73.3%, respectively, and were inclusive of both IOP and outpatient care.

These findings were reported in “Patient Engagement in Providing Telehealth SUD IOP Treatment: A Retrospective Cohort Study” by Joanna Contreras-Schwartz, Conor O’Neill, Annelise Threlkeld, and colleagues. The researchers studied outcomes of people with OUD who initiated treatment through a telehealth-only platform. The goal was to assess the feasibility of providing IOP treatment for addiction via telehealth through an evaluation of participant engagement in care. The researchers are affiliated with Brightside Health, an addiction treatment provider organization.

The full text of “Patient Engagement in Providing Telehealth SUD IOP Treatment: A Retrospective Cohort Study” was published December 18, 2024, by Healthcare. A free abstract is available online at https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/12/24/2554 (accessed January 9, 2025).