With the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic reaching exponential gains, it would be irresponsible to not align with the recommendations of limiting in-person interactions and practicing social distancing as much as feasible. However, this could prove to be challenging for patients with opioid use disorder (OUD), especially for those on agonist maintenance. Prescriptions for such are limited in duration and, depending on the setting, may not be issued at all but rather administered daily at a facility.
Fortunately, telemedicine and the reduction of medicolegal barriers surrounding controlled substance prescriptions have helped Office Based Opioid Treatment programs (OBOTs). A challenged remained for those patients who receive maintenance care (mostly methadone) from Opioid Treatment Programs (OTPs) in which they are required to present daily for administration. These patients would have increased exposure via public transportation, waiting rooms at the facility, and interactions with staff, nurses, and physicians. To complicate matters, patients may be part of the high risk group for COVID complications, ie, elderly, patients with medical comorbidities, immunocompromised patients, and pregnant women.
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