{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,29]],"date-time":"2026-07-29T04:36:39Z","timestamp":1785299799320,"version":"3.55.0"},"reference-count":44,"publisher":"JMIR Publications Inc.","content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["JMIR Ment Health"],"abstract":"Abstract<\/jats:title>\n \n Background<\/jats:title>\n The COVID-19 social distancing guidelines resulted in a dramatic transition to telephone and video technologies to deliver substance use disorder (SUD) treatment. Before COVID-19, the question was \u201cWill telehealth ever take hold for SUD services?\u201d Now that social distancing guidelines have been lifted, the question is \u201cWill telehealth remain a commonly used care modality?\u201d<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Objective<\/jats:title>\n The principal purpose of this investigation was to examine the extent to which telehealth use in SUD service settings persisted following the lifting of COVID-19 safety distancing recommendations. Additionally, the study aimed to explore practitioners\u2019 perceptions of telehealth convenience and value after its regular implementation during the pandemic. Specifically, the goal of this study was to compare telehealth activity between time intervals: May-August 2020 (during peak COVID-19 safety distancing recommendations) and October-December 2022 (following discontinuation of distancing recommendations). Specifically, we compared (1) telehealth technologies and services, (2) perceived usefulness of telehealth, (3) ease of use of telephone- and video-based telehealth services, and (4) organizational readiness to use telehealth.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Methods<\/jats:title>\n An online cross-sectional survey consisting of 108 items was conducted to measure the use of telehealth technologies for delivering a specific set of SUD services in the United States and to explore the perceived readiness for use and satisfaction with telephonic and video services. The survey took approximately 25\u201035 minutes to complete and used the same 3 sets of questions and 2 theory-driven scales as in a previous cross-sectional survey conducted in 2020. Six of 10 Regional Addiction Technology Transfer Centers funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration distributed the survey in their respective regions, collectively spanning 37 states. Responses of administrators and clinicians (hereafter referred to as staff) from this 2022 survey were compared to those obtained in the 2020 survey. Responses in 2020 and 2022 were anonymous and comprised two separate samples; therefore, an accurate longitudinal model could not be analyzed.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Results<\/jats:title>\n \n A total of 375 staff responded to the 2022 survey (vs 457 in 2020). Baseline organizational characteristics of the 2022 sample were similar to those of the 2020 sample. Phone and video telehealth utilization rates remained greater than 50% in 2022 for screening and assessment, case management, peer recovery support services, and regular outpatient services. The perceived usefulness of phone-based telehealth was higher in 2022 than in 2020 (mean difference [MD] \u22120.23;\n P<\/jats:italic>\n =.002), but not for video-based telehealth (MD \u22120.12;\n P<\/jats:italic>\n =.13). Ease of use of video-based telehealth was perceived as higher in 2022 than in 2020 (MD\u22120.35;\n P<\/jats:italic>\n <.001), but no difference was found for phone-based telehealth (MD \u22120.12;\n P<\/jats:italic>\n =.11). From the staff\u2019s perspective, patients had greater readiness for using telehealth via phone than video, but the staff perceived their personal and organizational readiness for using telehealth as greater for video-based than for phone-based telehealth.\n <\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Conclusions<\/jats:title>\n Despite lower telephone and video use in 2022 for telehealth services than in 2020, both modalities continue to be perceived positively. Future research may further determine the relative cost and clinical effectiveness of video-based services and thereby help to address some sources of the noted challenges to implementation by SUD organizations.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.2196\/52363","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,6,7]],"date-time":"2024-06-07T04:08:33Z","timestamp":1717733313000},"page":"e52363-e52363","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":2,"title":["Comparison of Use Rates of Telehealth Services for Substance Use Disorder During and Following COVID-19 Safety Distancing Recommendations: Two Cross-Sectional Surveys"],"prefix":"10.2196","volume":"11","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0003-2128-0945","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Adrijana","family":"Pusnik","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7052-2280","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Bryan","family":"Hartzler","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3085-6067","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Olivia","family":"Vjorn","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0006-8061-8020","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Beth A","family":"Rutkowski","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7119-4576","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Michael","family":"Chaple","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9271-2432","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Sara","family":"Becker","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7984-596X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Thomas","family":"Freese","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7865-3376","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Maureen","family":"Nichols","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3033-416X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Todd","family":"Molfenter","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1010","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,8,12]]},"reference":[{"issue":"2","key":"R1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2196\/25835","article-title":"Use of telehealth in substance use disorder services during and after COVID-19: online survey study","volume":"8","author":"Molfenter","journal-title":"JMIR Ment Health"},{"issue":"4","key":"R2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2196\/35037","article-title":"Defining telehealth for research, implementation, and equity","volume":"24","author":"Roy","journal-title":"J Med Internet Res"},{"issue":"3","key":"R3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"331","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jsat.2008.06.011","article-title":"Assessing the effectiveness of an internet-based videoconferencing platform for delivering intensified substance abuse counseling","volume":"36","author":"King","journal-title":"J Subst Abuse Treat"},{"issue":"3","key":"R4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2196\/mental.6713","article-title":"Effectiveness of optional videoconferencing-based treatment of alcohol use disorders: randomized controlled trial","volume":"4","author":"Tarp","journal-title":"JMIR Ment Health"},{"issue":"5","key":"R5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"484","DOI":"10.1176\/appi.ps.202100088","article-title":"Addiction treatment and telehealth: review of efficacy and provider insights during the COVID-19 pandemic","volume":"73","author":"Mark","journal-title":"Psychiatr Serv"},{"issue":"7","key":"R6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"372","DOI":"10.1258\/135763305774472060","article-title":"Telehealth service delivery for persons with alcoholism","volume":"11","author":"Frueh","journal-title":"J Telemed Telecare"},{"key":"R7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2196\/41554","article-title":"Satisfaction with telehealth services compared with nontelehealth services among pediatric patients and their caregivers: systematic review of the literature","volume":"6","author":"Kodjebacheva","journal-title":"JMIR Pediatr Parent"},{"key":"R8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1155\/2018\/3932643","article-title":"Use of telemedicine in addiction treatment: current practices and organizational implementation characteristics","volume":"2018","author":"Molfenter","journal-title":"Int J Telemed Appl"},{"issue":"7","key":"R9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1043","DOI":"10.1111\/joms.12349","article-title":"Disruptive innovation: an intellectual history and directions for future research","volume":"55","author":"Christensen","journal-title":"J Manag Stud"},{"key":"R10","unstructured":"Pifer R . Telehealth use falls nationally for third month in a row: fair health. Healthcare Dive. 2021. URL: https:\/\/www.healthcaredive.com\/news\/telehealth-use-falls-nationally-for-third-month-in-a-row-fair-health\/603009\/ [Accessed 03-07-2024]"},{"issue":"10","key":"R11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"981","DOI":"10.1001\/jamapsychiatry.2022.2284","article-title":"Receipt of telehealth services, receipt and retention of medications for opioid use disorder, and medically treated overdose among medicare beneficiaries before and during the COVID-19 pandemic","volume":"79","author":"Jones","journal-title":"JAMA Psychiatry"},{"issue":"4","key":"R12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"524","DOI":"10.1007\/s11414-022-09799-z","article-title":"Transitioning to telehealth for COVID-19 and beyond: perspectives of community mental health clinicians","volume":"49","author":"AlRasheed","journal-title":"J Behav Health Serv Res"},{"issue":"6","key":"R13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1403","DOI":"10.1002\/cpp.2682","article-title":"Psychotherapists\u2019 acceptance of telepsychotherapy during the COVID-19 pandemic: a machine learning approach","volume":"28","author":"B\u00e9k\u00e9s","journal-title":"Clin Psychol Psychother"},{"issue":"11","key":"R14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1645","DOI":"10.1377\/hlthaff.2022.00118","article-title":"Use of and willingness to use video telehealth through the COVID-19 pandemic","volume":"41","author":"Fischer","journal-title":"Health Aff"},{"issue":"6","key":"R15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"654","DOI":"10.1176\/appi.ps.202000623","article-title":"Telehealth acceptability and feasibility among people served in a community behavioral health system during the COVID-19 pandemic","volume":"72","author":"Tse","journal-title":"Psychiatr Serv"},{"issue":"1","key":"R16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e64","DOI":"10.1097\/ADM.0000000000001034","article-title":"Providing low-barrier addiction treatment via a telemedicine consultation service during the COVID-19 pandemic in Los Angeles, county: an assessment 1 year later","volume":"17","author":"Kennedy","journal-title":"J Addict Med"},{"issue":"12","key":"R17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1001\/jamanetworkopen.2021.36405","article-title":"Assessment of patient preferences for telehealth in post-COVID-19 pandemic health care","volume":"4","author":"Predmore","journal-title":"JAMA Netw Open"},{"issue":"11","key":"R18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3390\/healthcare10112293","article-title":"Telehealth and COVID-19 pandemic: an overview of the telehealth use, advantages, challenges, and opportunities during COVID-19 pandemic","volume":"10","author":"Bouabida","journal-title":"Healthcare"},{"key":"R19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jsat.2020.108157","article-title":"Virtual reality for behavioral health workforce development in the era of COVID-19","volume":"121","author":"Cross-Technology Transfer Center (TTC) Workgroup on Virtual Learning","journal-title":"J Subst Abuse Treat"},{"key":"R20","unstructured":"Davis FD . A Technology Acceptance Model for Empirically Testing New End-User Information Systems: Theory and Results. Phd thesis. Massachusetts Institute of Technology; 1986. URL: https:\/\/dspace.mit.edu\/handle\/1721.1\/15192 [Accessed 03-07-2024]"},{"issue":"3","key":"R21","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2196\/jmir.6.3.e34","article-title":"Improving the quality of web surveys: the Checklist for Reporting Results of Internet E-Surveys (CHERRIES)","volume":"6","author":"Eysenbach","journal-title":"J Med Internet Res"},{"key":"R22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Gustafson DH Brennan PF Hawkins RP . Investing in E-Health. Springer; 2007. ISBN: 0387495088","DOI":"10.1007\/978-0-387-49508-8"},{"issue":"6","key":"R23","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"707","DOI":"10.1136\/jamia.2010.005546","article-title":"Developing and validating a model to predict the success of an IHCS implementation: the readiness for implementation model","volume":"17","author":"Wen","journal-title":"J Am Med Inform Assoc"},{"issue":"3","key":"R24","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"389","DOI":"10.1037\/met0000159","article-title":"Linear mixed-effects models and the analysis of nonindependent data: a unified framework to analyze categorical and continuous independent variables that vary within-subjects and\/or within-items","volume":"23","author":"Brauer","journal-title":"Psychol Methods"},{"key":"R25","unstructured":"45 CFR 46. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Human Research Protections. URL: https:\/\/www.hhs.gov\/ohrp\/regulations-and-policy\/regulations\/45-cfr-46\/index.html [Accessed 21-07-2024]"},{"issue":"4","key":"R26","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"301","DOI":"10.1177\/1357633X20960638","article-title":"Building on the momentum: sustaining telehealth beyond COVID-19","volume":"28","author":"Thomas","journal-title":"J Telemed Telecare"},{"key":"R27","unstructured":"Bestsennyy O Gilbert G Harris A Rost J . Telehealth: a quarter-trillion-dollar post-COVID-19 reality. McKinsey & Company. 2021. URL: https:\/\/www.mckinsey.com\/industries\/healthcare\/our-insights\/telehealth-a-quarter-trillion-dollar-post-covid-19-reality [Accessed 03-07-2024]"},{"issue":"11","key":"R28","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1021","DOI":"10.1001\/jama.2020.9142","article-title":"Telehealth success spurs a call for greater post-COVID-19 license portability","volume":"324","author":"Slomski","journal-title":"JAMA"},{"key":"R29","unstructured":"TIP 63: medications for opioid use disorder. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Substance Abuse Treatment; 2021. URL: https:\/\/store.samhsa.gov\/product\/tip-63-medications-opioid-use-disorder\/pep21-02-01-002 [Accessed 03-07-2024]"},{"issue":"1","key":"R30","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"633","DOI":"10.1080\/08897077.2021.1986768","article-title":"COVID-19-related policy changes for methadone take-home dosing: a multistate survey of opioid treatment program leadership","volume":"43","author":"Levander","journal-title":"Subst Abus"},{"issue":"2","key":"R31","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"147","DOI":"10.1080\/08897077.2020.1752351","article-title":"Opioid use disorder and the COVID 19 pandemic: a call to sustain regulatory easements and further expand access to treatment","volume":"41","author":"Green","journal-title":"Subst Abus"},{"issue":"2","key":"R32","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e52","DOI":"10.2105\/AJPH.2013.301709","article-title":"Understanding the rural-urban differences in nonmedical prescription opioid use and abuse in the United States","volume":"104","author":"Keyes","journal-title":"Am J Public Health"},{"issue":"9","key":"R33","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"641","DOI":"10.1016\/j.annepidem.2018.05.008","article-title":"A scoping review of opioid misuse in the rural United States","volume":"28","author":"Palombi","journal-title":"Ann Epidemiol"},{"issue":"5","key":"R34","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2196\/jmir.3975","article-title":"Comparative and cost effectiveness of telemedicine versus telephone counseling for smoking cessation","volume":"17","author":"Richter","journal-title":"J Med Internet Res"},{"key":"R35","unstructured":"Fact sheet 42 CFR Part 2 Final Rule. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 2024. URL: https:\/\/www.hhs.gov\/hipaa\/for-professionals\/regulatory-initiatives\/fact-sheet-42-cfr-part-2-final-rule\/index.html [Accessed 03-07-2024]"},{"key":"R36","unstructured":"Substance abuse disorder treatment: 42 CFR Part 2 and HIPAA. Compliancy Group. URL: https:\/\/compliancy-group.com\/substance-abuse-disorder-treatment-42-cfr-part-2-and-hipaa\/ [Accessed 03-07-2024]"},{"issue":"6","key":"R37","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1002\/cpu.30496","article-title":"Confidentiality of substance use disorder treatment records: update","volume":"22","author":"Knopf","journal-title":"Brown Univ Child Adolesc Psychopharm Update"},{"key":"R38","unstructured":"Telehealth video demonstrations. ATTC. URL: https:\/\/attcnetwork.org\/northwest-telehealth-video-demonstrations\/ [Accessed 03-07-2024]"},{"key":"R39","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3389\/fsurg.2021.690680","article-title":"Survey fatigue during the COVID-19 pandemic: an analysis of neurosurgery survey response rates","volume":"8","author":"de Koning","journal-title":"Front Surg"},{"key":"R40","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/1357633X231190945","article-title":"Telemedicine-delivered treatment for substance use disorder: a scoping review","author":"Pham","journal-title":"J Telemed Telecare"},{"key":"R41","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.drugalcdep.2022.109711","article-title":"Telemedicine along the cascade of care for substance use disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States","volume":"242","author":"Lin","journal-title":"Drug Alcohol Depend"},{"issue":"6","key":"R42","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"659","DOI":"10.1097\/ADM.0000000000000985","article-title":"Patient characteristics associated with phone versus video telemedicine visits for substance use treatment during COVID-19","volume":"16","author":"Chang","journal-title":"J Addict Med"},{"key":"R43","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jsat.2022.108777","article-title":"Understanding opportunities and challenges with telemedicine-delivered buprenorphine during the COVID-19 pandemic","volume":"139","author":"Mattocks","journal-title":"J Subst Abuse Treat"},{"key":"R44","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.josat.2023.209067","article-title":"Impact of VA\u2019s video telehealth tablets on substance use disorder care during the COVID-19 pandemic","volume":"150","author":"Gujral","journal-title":"J Subst Use Addict Treat"}],"container-title":["JMIR Mental Health"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/mental.jmir.org\/2024\/1\/e52363","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,30]],"date-time":"2026-06-30T17:37:05Z","timestamp":1782841025000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/mental.jmir.org\/2024\/1\/e52363"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2024,8,12]]},"references-count":44,"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.2196\/52363","relation":{},"ISSN":["2368-7959"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2368-7959","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2024,8,12]]},"article-number":"v11i2e52363"}}