Improving methadone access for rural communities in the USA: lessons learned from COVID-19 adaptations and international models of care

Context: The COVID-19 pandemic led to several changes to methadone treatment protocols at federal opioid treatment programs in the USA. Issue: Protocol changes were designed to reduce transmission of COVID-19 while allowing for continuity of care, but those changes also demonstrated that many p...

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Autores principales:	Jamey Lister, Holly Lister
Formato:	article
Lenguaje:	EN
Publicado:	James Cook University 2021
Materias:	COVID-19 methadone opioid use disorder treatment access USA. Special situations and conditions RC952-1245 Public aspects of medicine RA1-1270
Acceso en línea:	https://doaj.org/article/6e696a409ec5439289df67a2b74b8d44
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spelling	oai:doaj.org-article:6e696a409ec5439289df67a2b74b8d442021-11-10T20:50:17ZImproving methadone access for rural communities in the USA: lessons learned from COVID-19 adaptations and international models of care10.22605/RRH67701445-6354https://doaj.org/article/6e696a409ec5439289df67a2b74b8d442021-11-01T00:00:00Zhttps://www.rrh.org.au/journal/article/6770/https://doaj.org/toc/1445-6354 Context: The COVID-19 pandemic led to several changes to methadone treatment protocols at federal opioid treatment programs in the USA. Issue: Protocol changes were designed to reduce transmission of COVID-19 while allowing for continuity of care, but those changes also demonstrated that many policies surrounding opioid use disorder care in the USA cause unnecessary burdens to patients. In this commentary, we describe how current policies create and maintain fatal barriers to methadone treatment for people in rural communities who have opioid use disorder, and highlight how COVID-19 adaptations and more flexible methadone models in other countries can better allow for effective and accessible care. Reasons and ways to address these issues to create lasting solutions for rural communities are discussed. Lessons learned: We focus on three lessons: (1) methadone dispensing and take-home schedules during COVID-19, (2) telehealth services during COVID-19, and (3) international models in use prior to COVID-19. We then outline recommendations for each lesson to improve access to methadone treatment long term for rural communities in the USA. There is an urgent need to implement recommendations that maintain flexible approaches and address methadone treatment barriers in the rural USA. To achieve lasting health policy change and combat stigma about addiction and methadone treatment, there is a need for advocacy efforts that give voice to rural residents impacted by inequitable access to methadone treatment and rural-tailored educational initiatives that promote the evidence base for methadone. We hope opioid treatment program directors, regulatory authorities, and health policymakers consider our recommendations. Jamey ListerHolly ListerJames Cook UniversityarticleCOVID-19methadoneopioid use disordertreatment accessUSA.Special situations and conditionsRC952-1245Public aspects of medicineRA1-1270ENRural and Remote Health, Vol 21 (2021)
institution	DOAJ
collection	DOAJ
language	EN
topic	COVID-19 methadone opioid use disorder treatment access USA. Special situations and conditions RC952-1245 Public aspects of medicine RA1-1270
spellingShingle	COVID-19 methadone opioid use disorder treatment access USA. Special situations and conditions RC952-1245 Public aspects of medicine RA1-1270 Jamey Lister Holly Lister Improving methadone access for rural communities in the USA: lessons learned from COVID-19 adaptations and international models of care
description	Context: The COVID-19 pandemic led to several changes to methadone treatment protocols at federal opioid treatment programs in the USA. Issue: Protocol changes were designed to reduce transmission of COVID-19 while allowing for continuity of care, but those changes also demonstrated that many policies surrounding opioid use disorder care in the USA cause unnecessary burdens to patients. In this commentary, we describe how current policies create and maintain fatal barriers to methadone treatment for people in rural communities who have opioid use disorder, and highlight how COVID-19 adaptations and more flexible methadone models in other countries can better allow for effective and accessible care. Reasons and ways to address these issues to create lasting solutions for rural communities are discussed. Lessons learned: We focus on three lessons: (1) methadone dispensing and take-home schedules during COVID-19, (2) telehealth services during COVID-19, and (3) international models in use prior to COVID-19. We then outline recommendations for each lesson to improve access to methadone treatment long term for rural communities in the USA. There is an urgent need to implement recommendations that maintain flexible approaches and address methadone treatment barriers in the rural USA. To achieve lasting health policy change and combat stigma about addiction and methadone treatment, there is a need for advocacy efforts that give voice to rural residents impacted by inequitable access to methadone treatment and rural-tailored educational initiatives that promote the evidence base for methadone. We hope opioid treatment program directors, regulatory authorities, and health policymakers consider our recommendations.
format	article
author	Jamey Lister Holly Lister
author_facet	Jamey Lister Holly Lister
author_sort	Jamey Lister
title	Improving methadone access for rural communities in the USA: lessons learned from COVID-19 adaptations and international models of care
title_short	Improving methadone access for rural communities in the USA: lessons learned from COVID-19 adaptations and international models of care
title_full	Improving methadone access for rural communities in the USA: lessons learned from COVID-19 adaptations and international models of care
title_fullStr	Improving methadone access for rural communities in the USA: lessons learned from COVID-19 adaptations and international models of care
title_full_unstemmed	Improving methadone access for rural communities in the USA: lessons learned from COVID-19 adaptations and international models of care
title_sort	improving methadone access for rural communities in the usa: lessons learned from covid-19 adaptations and international models of care
publisher	James Cook University
publishDate	2021
url	https://doaj.org/article/6e696a409ec5439289df67a2b74b8d44
work_keys_str_mv	AT jameylister improvingmethadoneaccessforruralcommunitiesintheusalessonslearnedfromcovid19adaptationsandinternationalmodelsofcare AT hollylister improvingmethadoneaccessforruralcommunitiesintheusalessonslearnedfromcovid19adaptationsandinternationalmodelsofcare
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Improving methadone access for rural communities in the USA: lessons learned from COVID-19 adaptations and international models of care

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