# Clinician and Patient Experiences with COVID-19 Induced Rapid Transitions to Telehealth for Opioid Use Disorder Treatment

> **NIH NIH R21** · UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY · 2022 · $190,684

## Abstract

Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused rapid changes in health care delivery from in-person to telehealth
services, including the treatment of persons with opioid use disorder (OUD). Telehealth services (e.g.,
telephone calls and video-to-home, or VTH) have been effectively used in psychiatry, but we have very
little information about primary care clinicians’ or patients’ experiences using telehealth for visits
associated with medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) (e.g., buprenorphine). Understanding these
issues among rural OUD patients during the COVID-19 pandemic is imperative because they are at high
risk of drug use relapse, isolation and loneliness, and mental health declines.
 We propose to conduct a mixed-methods study of rural primary care clinicians and patients receiving
MOUD. We will conduct qualitative interviews among a sample of 30 rural primary care clinicians to
evaluate their practices’ abilities and experiences using telehealth (telephone and VTH) to diagnose and
treat patients with OUD, perceived or experienced facilitators and barriers to implementing telehealth, and
observations about OUD patients’ treatment adherence. Simultaneously, we will conduct quantitative
surveys among a sample of 250 patients who are receiving MOUD. The quantitative surveys will evaluate
OUD patients’ perspectives of the acceptability of telehealth services, experiences using telehealth
services, treatment continuity, and drug use outcomes. Specific Aims are to: 1. Describe (using
qualitative methods) rural primary care clinicians’ abilities and actual experiences transitioning to
telehealth for patients receiving MOUD, their evaluations of how patients’ drug use and mental health
changed when transitioning to telehealth, and characteristics of patients’ who did/did not adjust well to
telehealth; 2. Identify (using quantitative methods) rural MOUD patients’ predictors of treatment
continuity, satisfaction with telehealth services, and preferences for in-person vs. telehealth services; and
3. Identify (using quantitative methods) rural MOUD patients’ predictors of drug use relapse, actual
overdose, and overdose risk.
 This study is very time-sensitive during a time of rapid changes in the essential delivery of telehealth
services caused by the COVID-19 crisis that may have long-lasting implications for persons receiving
treatment for OUD.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10460928
- **Project number:** 5R21DA053324-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY
- **Principal Investigator:** Tyrone Finley Borders
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $190,684
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2021-09-01 → 2024-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10460928

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10460928, Clinician and Patient Experiences with COVID-19 Induced Rapid Transitions to Telehealth for Opioid Use Disorder Treatment (5R21DA053324-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10460928. Licensed CC0.

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