HHS OIG audit of OTPs finds operations impacted by COVID‐19
8 de dezembro de 20202min8
Abstract
Opioid treatment programs (OTPs, sometimes known as methadone clinics) had many challenges during COVID‐19, an audit by the Office of Inspector General (OIG) of the federal Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released last month has found.
Among the challenges:
- maintaining pre‐pandemic service levels (124 OTPs);
- managing impacts on facility operations (113 OTPs);
- implementing and using telehealth (87 OTPs);
- obtaining treatment medications, personal protective equipment and cleaning supplies (83 OTPs);
- maintaining patient participation in OTP activities (77 OTPs);
- dealing with limitations posed by existing federal guidance (65 OTPs);
- providing take‐home doses to patients (51 OTPs); and
- implementing governmental guidance (34 OTPs).
OTPs also reported actions taken, including:
- encouraging or requiring various personal safety measures for patients and staff (141 OTPs),
- implementing or expanding the use of telehealth to continue providing services (128 OTPs),
- increasing the number of take‐home doses to reduce the number of patients visiting facilities (127 OTPs),
- making physical changes to facilities and increasing staffing flexibilities (121 OTPs), and
- ensuring that patients received treatment medications (92 OTPs).
Read the full article: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/adaw.32907
