How is Your Addiction Treatment Center Preparing for a Post-COVID World?

COVID-19 has created a perfect storm in the addiction treatment world. It seems these days we are being hammered from all sides: economic uncertainty, political (and policy) uncertainty and, of course, uncertainty about the course of the novel coronavirus itself. While all studies being done currently point to a massive surge in substance abuse in the United States, overall admissions in treatment are down as social isolation and concerns about safety erect new barriers to treatment. Some surveys are finding that 64% of addiction treatment centers are currently reporting revenue losses directly tied to the pandemic.

We’ve written extensively here about what you can do at your addiction treatment center to address the pandemic from a public health and economic health perspective. Certainly many readers are preoccupied with the day-to-day of responding to the crisis at hand as it continues to evolve. 

It’s hard to think outside of this moment, but, as businesspeople, it’s important that we try. 

Ask yourself: what happens next? What happens after COVID-19 is finally “over” (or at least more managed) and life no longer revolves around mitigating the risks associated with this virus? 

What is your addiction treatment center doing to prepare for the post-COVID world? 

 Today, we’ll look at 4 things that appear to be on the horizon for the addiction treatment community and give you suggestions on what your organization might begin to do to prepare for what comes next.

Addiction Treatment Post-COVID Reality #1: Telehealth Is Here to Stay 

In the wake of the pandemic, the vast majority of our readers have shifted their addiction treatment centers to rely heavily on telehealth services. Many of you are still offering in-person services, of course, and in some instances that level of care is absolutely necessary. But for those patients where telehealth is appropriate, it makes sense to improve social distancing for staff and patients by keeping unnecessary visits down. 

The US Department of Health and Human Services renewed their COVID-19 emergency declaration for a third time last month, extending changed Medicare and Medicaid rules that allow for the reimbursement of telehealth services for members of those programs. Private insurers have also shifted to embracing telehealth coverage for patients during the pandemic. 

Within the addiction treatment community, the migration to telehealth happened quickly in response to the pandemic, despite an historic resistance to pivoting away from face-to-face care. Despite concerns, most addiction treatment centers have seen no decrease in productivity or program effectiveness. Many have reported a marked decrease in no-shows. 

It is reasonable to expect the trend towards telehealth to continue after COVID-19 as patients and providers gain a level of comfort with the modality. 

If your facility is struggling with telehealth delivery, now is the time to address that problem. Be sure that your addiction treatment center is set up with the best EHR to handle the job. 

Addiction Treatment Post-COVID Reality #2: National Trauma and Delayed Care Means a Tsunami of SUD Patients 

It doesn’t take an addiction treatment professional to know that the national stress and trauma of the COVID-19 pandemic - as well as the economic and political stress that goes along with it - will cause more people to turn to drugs of abuse than ever before. Research is already proving that rates of addiction are skyrocketing in response to the difficulties we are all experiencing right now. What’s more, people in recovery are finding themselves relapsing as the routines and support structures they rely on are compromised by the pandemic.

It’s clear that we can expect a huge wave of addiction treatment patients in the near-future.

For addiction treatment centers, that means planning for a huge influx of patients at a time when cash flow is slowing to a trickle. It’s an impossible position. 

What low-cost improvements can your organization make right now to help prepare for that eventual bump in admissions? When making new hires and acquiring new properties is out of the question, focus on tightening up what you already have. Updating your software is a great way to improve efficiency and productivity without investing too much capital. 

Addiction Treatment Post-COVID Reality #3: Demand for MAT WIll be at an All-Time High

As restrictions around Suboxone and Methadone have loosened, patients are proving that they can handle the responsibility of take-home medications, despite the risks of diversion and abuse. Now that MAT patients - and providers - are growing accustomed to skipping the frequent (if not daily) in-clinic visits, it will be very difficult to go back to the older, more strict MAT rules. It seems likely that this is the “new normal” when it comes to MAT. With the rules relaxed and barriers removed, it makes sense that more patients will flock to these evidence-based medicines to help with their opioid addiction.  

If your addiction treatment program shuns MAT patients and relies on an abstinence-only method, now is the time to reconsider your approach. While many organizations still rely on this older approach to recovery, it would be reckless to fail to notice that the tide is turning. 

Addiction Treatment Post-COVID Reality #4: More States Decriminalizing Drugs Means Fewer Court-Mandated Patients 

Oregon just voted to decriminalize possession of all drugs of abuse. Though it’s the only state in the union to do so, the Drug Policy Alliance, the national non-profit behind the Oregon measure, has its eyes set on passing more legislation to decriminalize drugs throughout our country. Regardless of what you believe personally about decriminalization, the effects on the addiction treatment industry remain the same. 

In states that legalize drugs, we will see fewer court-ordered treatment patients. 

For addiction treatment centers that rely heavily on the justice system for new admissions, these changes could be existential. 

If this describes your addiction treatment organization, begin thinking now about how you will pivot in response to this change. It could mean improving your outreach efforts to certain communities, planning to invest in advertising campaigns or shifting your focus to a different niche within addiction treatment. Keep an eye out for developments in your state and plan accordingly.

We’re Here To Help 

At BehaveHealth, we are committed to supporting the addiction treatment community through this turbulent time. Our cloud-based software solution is designed especially for addiction treatment providers just like you. We continue to update our software in response to the changing treatment environment so that you can forget about the tech and focus on providing the best care possible to your patients. Claim your free trial to see how we can help your addiction treatment organization thrive today.

ASAM Released New COVID-19 Guidelines for Addiction Treatment Providers. Here's the Highlights.

On September 19th, ASAM (American Society of Addiction Medicine) announced their new pandemic guidelines for providers. Their “Caring for Patients During COVID-19 Task Force” created the guidelines as an expansion of pre-existing recommendations the agency made to addiction treatment providers earlier on in the pandemic. The new guidelines touch on some old themes but also cover a lot of new ground worth considering, especially in the sections on drug testing protocol and incident command structure.

At Behave Health, we look to industry leaders like ASAM for guidance on how to address COVID-19 in the addiction treatment setting. Today, we’ll cover some of the highlights of the new ASAM guidelines and consider their usefulness for addiction treatment providers during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

ASAM’s New Guidelines for Addiction Treatment Professionals are Pretty Expansive But They’re Not Legally Binding 

The guidelines released in September cover a lot of ground. Broken down into 15 different sections, the guidelines touch on everything from acute hospital settings protocols to clinician wellbeing to online support group etiquette. The website allows you to easily navigate to the sections that are most relevant to your facility’s level(s) of care.

Here’s a few of the ASAM guidelines’ subheadings: 

• Infection mitigation in outpatient settings and residential treatment facilities

• Adjusting drug testing protocols

• Access to care in opioid treatment programs

• Support group participation

• Managing justice-involved persons with addiction

• Ongoing management of the continuum of addiction care

Although ASAM speaks authoritatively on what should - and should not - be going on in addiction treatment centers during the COVID-19 pandemic, they are quick to note in their new guidelines that they are simply for “informational and education purposes” only. ASAM frequently refers readers back to their local health authorities for the final word on how to safely operate addiction treatment centers during the pandemic. They’re careful to note that each safety measure should be considered on a case-by-case basis depending on how severe the outbreak is in any given community.

ASAM’s COVID-19 Pandemic Drug Testing Recommendations for Addiction Treatment Providers are Very Conservative  

One of the biggest changes in ASAM’s new guidelines is its updated approach to drug testing. The society strongly cautions against any routine drug testing that does not have direct consequences for the way addiction treatment providers deliver care to that patient. In other words, if the care plan for the patient would be the same regardless of the results of a test, then ASAM wants you to skip the test. 

In explaining their reasoning for this conservative approach, ASAM points to reports that COVID-19 is infectious in both feces and urine and that redundant testing is not only an unnecessary risk to providers, but also an unneeded strain on laboratory operations that might be already stressed with coronavirus-related work. ASAM also points out that unnecessary drug testing requires the use of scarce PPE and may pose a threat to our already strained medical supply chains.

Instead of traditional urine-based drug testing, ASAM recommends addiction treatment providers investigate more “socially distanced” drug testing options, such as home breathalyzers that can be monitored via telehealth. 

ASAM Recommends Creating an Incident Command Structure for Your Addiction Treatment Center During COVID-19 

ASAM’s new guidelines also call for creating an “worse case scenario” plan for how your addiction treatment center will continue essential operations if one or more of your key staff members falls ill. Called an “incident command structure,” this plan would outline which staff members can take over what essential responsibilities of their colleagues. It’s very similar to the contingency planning we’ve discussed elsewhere on this blog. ASAM also recommends cross-training staff members to perform essential functions ahead of time, to prepare for any unforeseen sick leave and staff shortage. For example, more than one staff member at your addiction treatment center should know how to unlock the doors, disable alarms, and access medicines and emergency supplies.  

We’re Here to Help 

If you feel overwhelmed by ASAM’s new guidelines, you’re not alone. Many addiction treatment professionals are reeling from the vast array of changes COVID-19 has made in our professional lives. The rules of the game have changed - at least temporarily - but we’re helping addiction treatment providers all around the country tame the chaos with smart, simple tools designed especially for the behavioral health community as it exists today. Our pandemic-ready software solution is intuitive, simple, and—as our users like to say—“it just works.” 

Claim your free trial today and see how we can help make this difficult time a whole lot easier for your treatment center business.