A new study finds that virtual treatment for chemical dependency is more successful than health care providers had thought.
In March, Hazelden Betty Ford switched all of its patients nationwide who were attending on-site outpatient group therapy to its RecoveryGo virtual platform.
New findings from the Butler Research Center now show virtual treatment is working well, "It seems this virtual option is providing an opportunity for patients to engage in care, despite the pandemic by being able to do it virtually, " said Dr. Quyen Ngo who heads up the Butler Center for Research at Hazelden Betty Ford.
She said they found that patients who transitioned from in-person to virtual care dropped out at a significantly lower rate against medical advice (AMA) than the in-person did.
"Some of the things we are following is under what circumstances that virtual works best," Ngo said. "The assumption is that if you can do it in person then you can do it virtually."
She said the virtual platform has been found to those who have suffered trauma.
"It's actually easier for them to recover virtually because they feel safer in the homes doing that."
An unexpected gift.
"Because people are able to reach out and connect and get the support they need," she said. "In many ways, we are able to provide services to a greater range of people because there's not that limitation to come into a building somewhere, so now we are able to treat people farther away from our building as we were in the past."
