NAM Action Collaborative on Countering the U.S. Opioid Epidemic Telehealth and Virtual Care Meeting Series: Improving Access

The four-part meeting series titled “Improving Telehealth and Virtual Care for Pain Management and Substance Use Disorders” focuses on enhancing access, care delivery, innovation, and quality of care. The second meeting, held virtually on March 11, 2022, concentrated on improving access to telehealth services for pain management and substance use disorder (SUD) care.

The meeting convened over 70 participants, including representatives from health professional groups, industry, federal agencies, advocacy organizations, academia, health plan providers, and health systems.

The primary objectives were to:

• Understand the regulatory and policy environment affecting telehealth services for pain and SUD care.
• Identify access-related barriers, including regulatory, policy, and payment obstacles hindering telehealth adoption.
• Explore opportunities for improvement to enhance access to pain and SUD care.
• Discuss strategies to overcome barriers and expand telehealth services effectively.

Key discussions included the need for policy reforms to facilitate telehealth adoption, addressing disparities in access, ensuring equitable reimbursement models, and integrating telehealth into existing health care infrastructures.

The proceedings from this meeting provide insights and recommendations for stakeholders aiming to enhance telehealth access for pain management and SUD care. This effort is a step toward improving equitable, patient-centered care and advancing innovative health care solutions.