The use of telehealth services grew rapidly during the COVID-19 pandemic, helping patients access care remotely during lockdowns and social distancing regulations. But as the pandemic eased, the use of telehealth has declined for outpatient care—except for mental health and substance use disorders. Data gathered from some 126 million patients found that mental health and substance use services by telehealth have remained elevated and continue to grow as a share of all telehealth visits, especially for rural residents who find it difficult to access medical services. At its pandemic peak, telehealth represented 40 percent of mental health and substance use outpatient visits; as in-person care returned, telehealth visits dropped off overall but remained at 36 percent for mental health and substance use. This reflects the potential of telehealth to increase access to drug treatment, and although this should not replace in-person care, it can help many individuals receive critical services.
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Rosenthal Center for AddictIon Studies